uld compromise my own position. No, no, I
really agree with you, of all those present she was decidedly the most
piquant. The typical beauty that appeals to men! Of course you hit upon
her, probably courted her, lavished compliments upon her, all the
things that you men do when you suppose that you are in the presence of
an inferior woman ...

PAUL. Hella, now restrain yourself! Or I may tell you something ...

HELLA. Very well, let us even suppose that you fell in love with her
for the time and she with you, that you went into ecstasy over each
other and turned each other's heads, then you parted and the next day
the intoxication passed off, and, if not on the next day, then on the
following one ... Am I not right? Do you expect me to be jealous of
such a thing as that? No, Paul!

PAUL (in supreme excitement, struggling with himself). You are a demon!
A demon!

HELLA (has become serious). I am your friend, Paul! Believe me! I
desire nothing but your own good, simply because I care for you and
because, I'll be frank with you, I should not want to lose you. You may
be convinced of it, Paul, conceited as it may sound, but you will never
find another woman like me! One with whom you can share everything! I
don't know what you may have said to the Polish woman or what she may
have said to you, but do you really suppose that she still knows about
that today, even though the most fervent vows were exchanged?

PAUL (jumps up). Hella, Hella, you do not know what you are saying.

HELLA. Would you teach me to know my own sex? They aren't all like me,
dear Paul. You have been spoiled by me. Very few, indeed, have attained
maturity as yet, or even know what they are doing. You can depend upon
very few of them. It seems to me that we are in the best possible
position to know that, Paul, after our years of work. And I am to fear
_such_ competition? Expect me to be jealous of a Polish country beauty?
Me,--Hella Bernhardy!... No, Paul, I have been beyond that type of
jealousy for some time! (She walks up and down slowly.)

PAUL (stands at the window, struggling with himself). Would it not be
better to say that you have _never_ had it?

HELLA. Possibly! There are some who consider that an advantage.

PAUL. Theorists, yes! The kind that _I_ was, once upon a time. But now
I know better! Now I know that the absence of jealousy was nothing but
an absence of love.

HELLA (energetically). That is not true, Paul. I always cared for