ALVA--She isn’t coming. She has no time. She changes her costume in the wings. ESCERNY--She has two ballet-costumes, if I’m not mistaken? ALVA--I find the white one more becoming to her than the rose-color. ESCERNY--Do you? ALVA--Don’t you? ESCERNY--I find she looks too bodiless in the white tulle. ALVA--I find she looks too animal in the rose tulle. ESCERNY--I don’t find that. ALVA--The white tulle brings out the child-like side of her nature more. ESCERNY--The rose tulle brings out the womanly side of her nature more. [_The electric bell rings over the door._ ALVA _jumps up_.] ALVA--For heaven’s sake, what is wrong? ESCERNY--[_Getting up too._] What’s the matter? [_The electric bell continues ringing till after they go out._] ALVA--Something’s gone wrong there---- ESCERNY--How can you get so frightened all of a sudden? ALVA--That must be a hellish confusion! [_He runs out._ ESCERNY _follows him. The door remains open. Faint dance-music heard. Pause._ LULU _enters in a long cloak, and shuts the door to behind her. She wears a rose-colored ballet costume with flower-garlands. She walks across the stage and sits down in the big arm-chair near the mirror. After a pause_ ALVA _returns_.] ALVA--You had a faint? LULU--Please lock the door. ALVA--At least come down to the stage. LULU--Did you see him? ALVA--See whom? LULU--With his fiancée? ALVA--With his---- [_To_ SCHÖN, _who enters_.] You might have spared yourself that jest! SCHÖN--What’s the matter with her? [_To_ LULU.] How can you play the scene straight at me! LULU--I feel as if I’d been whipped. SCHÖN--[_After bolting the door._] You will dance--as sure as I’ve taken the responsibility for you! LULU--Before your fiancée? SCHÖN--Have you a right to trouble yourself before whom? You’ve been engaged here. You receive your salary.... LULU--Is that your affair? SCHÖN--You dance for anyone who buys a ticket. Whom I sit with in my box has nothing to do with your business! ALVA--I wish you’d stayed sitting in your box! [_To_ LULU.] Tell me, please, what I am to do. [_A knock at the door._] There is the manager. [_Calls._] Yes, in a moment! [_To_ LULU.] You won’t compel us to break off the performance? SCHÖN--[_To_ LULU.] Onto the stage with you! LULU--Let me have just a moment! I can’t now. I’m utterly miserable. ALVA--The devil take the whole theater crowd! LULU--Put in the next number. No one will notice if I dance now or in five minutes. There’s no strength in my feet. ALVA--But you will dance then? LULU--As well as I can. ALVA--As badly as you like. [_A knock at the door again._] I’m coming. LULU--[_When_ ALVA _is gone_.] You are right to show me where I belong. You couldn’t do it better than by letting me dance that skirt-dance before your fiancée.... You do me the greatest service when you point out to me where my place is.