Frau v. Yburg.
Who could that be--except----?
Ebeling (_breathing heavily_).
Except that man, there is only one other.
Frau v. Yburg.
(_Stares at him uncomprehendingly with her hands clasped, then
stammering._) Oh! oh, God! What a joy that would be!
Ebeling.
What more can I say? Such things come and grow great in a man, one
knows not how. She bore _her_ sorrow, _her_ shame, I mine. At first,
perhaps, it was no more than a casual fancy--no, an interest, for my
inclinations were always involved--but to-day it has become a passion,
a passion that, lonely man as I am, gnaws me to the very core of my
being.
Frau v. Yburg.
But how have you managed through it all to keep so quiet, so
deliberate, so----?
Ebeling.
One learns, little by little, to be master of oneself. And five minutes
ago there was absolutely no hope, (_bursting out_) but if she no longer
wants him--why shouldn't I--oh! (_Hides his face in his hand, trembling
with emotion._)
Frau v. Yburg.
Wait! I don't see, after you've led him on to this point, how you'll
ever justify all this to Baron von Kanoldt.
Ebeling.
I don't know! Until now, I've led a tolerably respectable life. For, in
the disgrace that _she_ (_pointing to the picture of his wife_) brought
upon me, I played no part.
Frau v. Yburg.
Oh, yes, everyone in society knows that.
Ebeling.
But I haven't once asked myself whether what I am now going to do--or
should like to do--conforms to the prevailing standards of propriety.
One ought to think it over, to let some time elapse--in short, I don't
know! All I can say is that if she doesn't want him, if she won't take
that--(_checking himself_)--him, well, then, the path is open to
any one--to me as well as to another.
Frau v. Yburg (_hesitating_).
I feel that I ought to warn you of just one thing more. She has never
seemed to consider you as anything more than a fatherly sort of friend.
Ebeling.
H'm! (_Laughs bitterly._) Even though I'm a couple of years younger
than----, I've certainly acted more like a father to her. But you're
probably right. (_Knocking._) Come in. (Bonath _enters._)
Bonath.
I've let the clerks go home. Have you any further orders, Herr Ebeling?
Ebeling.
You can go, too, Bonath. But tell my man to answer the door.
Bonath.