SCHÖN--Only that was left! In order that to-morrow the next man may find his pastime where I have shuddered from pit to pit, suicide upon my neck and =you= before me! You dare suggest that? That part of my life I have poured into you, am I to see it tossed before wild beasts? Do you see your bed with the sacrifice--the victim--on it? The lad is homesick for you. Did you let yourself be divorced? You trod him under your feet, knocked out his brains, caught up his blood in gold-pieces. I let myself be divorced? =Can= one be divorced when two people have grown into one another and half the man must go too? [_Reaching for the revolver._] Give it here! LULU--Don’t! SCHÖN--I’ll spare you the trouble. LULU--[_Tears herself loose, holding the revolver down; in a determined, self-possessed tone._] If men have killed themselves for my sake, that doesn’t lower my value. You knew quite as well why you made me your wife as I knew why I took you for husband. You had deceived your best friends with me; you could not well go on deceiving yourself with me. If you bring me your old age in sacrifice, you have had my whole youth in return. You understand ten times better than I do which is the more valuable. I have never in the world wished to seem to be anything different from what I am taken for, and I have never in the world been taken for anything different from what I am. You want to force me to fire a bullet into my heart. I’m not sixteen any more, but to fire a bullet in my heart I am still much too young! SCHÖN--[_Pursuing her._] Down, murderess! Down with you! To your knees, murderess! [_Crowding her to the foot of the stairs._] Down, and never dare to stand again! [_Raising his hand._ LULU _has sunk to her knees_.] Pray to God, murderess, that he give you strength. Sue to heaven that strength for it may be lent you! [HUGENBERG _jumps up from under the table, knocking a chair aside, and screams “Help!”_ SCHÖN _whirls toward him, turning his back to_ LULU, _who instantly fires five shots into him and continues to pull the trigger_. SCHÖN, _tottering over, is caught by_ HUGENBERG _and let down in the chair_.] SCHÖN--And--there--is--one--more---- LULU--[_Rushing to_ SCHÖN.] All merciful----! SCHÖN--Out of my sight! Alva! LULU--[_Kneeling._] The one man I loved! SCHÖN--Harlot! Murderess!--Alva! Alva!--Water! LULU--Water; he’s thirsty. [_Fills a glass with champagne and sets it to_ SCHÖN’S _lips_. ALVA _comes thru the gallery, down the stairs_.] ALVA--Father! O God, my father! LULU--I shot him. HUGENBERG--She is innocent! SCHÖN--[_To_ ALVA.] You! It miscarried. ALVA--[_Tries to lift him._] You must get to bed; come. SCHÖN--Don’t take hold of me so! I’m drying up. [LULU _comes with the champagne-cup; to her_.] You are still like yourself. [_After drinking._] Don’t let her escape. [_To_ ALVA.] You are the next. ALVA--[_To_ HUGENBERG.] Help me carry him to bed. SCHÖN--No, no, please, no. Wine, murderess----