ut the expenses for what you have accomplished must have
exhausted your fortune. May I venture to offer you a loan of 20,000
marks--which I should have no trouble raising for you in cash?

GESCHWITZ. How we did rejoice when Sister Theophila was really dead!
From that day on we were free from custody. We changed our beds as we
liked. I had done my hair like hers, and copied every tone of her
voice. When the professor came he called *her* "gnaediges Fraulein"
and said to me, "It's better living here than in prison!"... When the
Sister suddenly was missing, we looked at each other in suspense: we
had both been sick five days: now was the deciding moment. Next
morning came the assistant.--"How is Sister Theophila?"--"Dead!"--We
communicated behind his back, and when he had gone we sank in each
other's arms: "God be thanked! God be thanked!"--What pains it cost
me to keep my darling from betraying how well she already was! "You
have nine years of prison before you," I cried to her early and late.
Now they probably won't let her stay in the contagious ward three
days more!

RODRIGO. I lay in the hospital full three months to spy out the
ground, after toilfully peddling together the qualities necessary for
such a long stay. Now I act the valet here with you, Dr. Schoen, so
that no strange servants may come into the house. Where is the
bridegroom who's ever done so much for his bride? *My* fortune has
also been destroyed.

ALVA. When you succeed in developing her into a respectable artiste
you will have put the world in debt to you. With the temperament and
the beauty that she has to give out of the depths of her nature she
can make the most blase public hold its breath. And then, too, she
will be protected by *acting* passion from a second time becoming a
criminal in reality.

RODRIGO. I'll soon drive her kiddishness out of her!

GESCHWITZ. There he comes! (_Steps louden in the gallery. Then the
curtains part at the head of the stairs and Schigolch in a long black
coat with a white sun-shade in his right hand comes down. Thruout the
play his speech is interrupted with frequent yawns._)

SCHIGOLCH. Confound the darkness! Out-doors the sun burns your eyes
out.

GESCHWITZ. (_Wearily unwrapping herself._) I'm coming!

RODRIGO. Her ladyship has seen no daylight for three days. We live
here like in a snuff-box.

SCHIGOLCH. Since nine o'clock this morning I've been round to all the
old-clothes-men. Three brand new trunks