the end of life and the merit of freeing the
world of =you=? (Holds her down by the arm.) Come, get through. It will
be the gladdest remembrance of my life. Pull the trigger!

LULU. You can get a divorce.

SCHOEN. Only that was left! In order that to-morrow the next man may
find his pastime where I have shuddered from cleft to chasm, suicide
upon me and =thou= before me! You dare suggest that? That part of my
life I have poured into you I am to see thrown before wild beasts? Do
you see your bed with the sacrifice--the victim--on it? The boy 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 each other and half the man must go, too? (Reaching for the
revolver.) Give it here!

LULU. Don't!

SCHOEN. 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 know 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 the close of your life as a sacrifice, still you have had my
whole youth for it. 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!

SCHOEN. (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!" Schoen whirls toward
him, turning his back to Lulu who instantly fires five shots into him
and continues to pull the trigger. Schoen, tottering over, is caught by
Hugenberg and let down in the chair.)

SCHOEN. And--there--is--one--more--

LULU. (Rushing to Schoen.) All merciful--!

SCHOEN. Out of my sight! Alva!

LULU.