ently pressing--not even from your own viewpoint--to
exclude all thought of a divorce. And I am anxious to assure you that,
under all circumstances, I shall feel bound to treat those reasons with
the most profound respect.

AMADEUS

What do you mean?

SIGISMUND

You know, my dear Master, that the reverence I have for your art, even
if I am not always capable of grasping it, equals the admiration I feel
for the singing of Mrs. Adams-Ortenburg. I know how much you two
mutually owe to each other, and how you--if I may say so--complement
each other musically. And it would never occur to me to put any
difficulties whatsoever in the way of your continued artistic
relationship. I am equally aware of the tenderness with which you
regard your child--for whom, by the way, as you probably know, I have a
great deal of devotion--and I can give you my word that the doors
leading to the quarters of little Peter will always stand open to you.

AMADEUS

In other words, you would have no objection to seeing the former
husband of your--of the wife--of the Princess Lohsenstein, admitted to
your house as a friend?

SIGISMUND

Any such objection would be regarded by me as an insult to your--to
my--to Mrs. Cecilia Adams-Ortenburg, as well as to you, my dear Master.
With those provisions made, the new arrangement, which I am taking the
liberty to suggest, would be more sensible and--if you'll allow me a
frank expression--more decent than the one to which all of us now have
to submit. I am convinced, my dear Master, that, when you have had
chance to consider the matter calmly, you will not only agree with me,
but you will be surprised that this simple solution of an unbearable
situation has not occurred to yourself long ago. As for me, I want to
add that, to me personally, this solution seems the only possible one.
Yes, I don't hesitate to say that I would leave the city, without hope
of ever seeing Mrs. Cecilia again, rather than keep on compromising her
in a manner that must be equally painful to all of us.

AMADEUS

Oh, has it come to that all at once? Well, if the matter doesn't
trouble Cecilia or me, I think _you_ might well regard it with
indifference. I hope you know that we have arranged our life to suit
ourselves, without the least regard for popular gossip, and that I
don't care at all whether or no Cecilia be compromised--as you call it.

SIGISMUND

I know you don't. But I feel differently. A lady to whom I'm so
dev