JUHASZ—So that ... so that....
ADELE—[_Ardently._] I love him, Peter, and he adores me. And we are
leaving the city.... You will never hear of us again.
JUHASZ—Oscar....
ADELE—All the time we’ve been here together, like one big family, we
could have done things behind your back. But a man like you.... We
couldn’t bring ourselves to deceive you. Oscar couldn’t either. He loves
you like a brother.
JUHASZ—I know ... you are both devoted to me.
ADELE—We are going to Berlin. There a new life awaits us ... but that’s
something you can’t understand, because there is no spirit of adventure
in you.... To escape from this cage ... out into the wide world ... to
try our luck ... and find wealth, perhaps ... and power.... Let me call
him in!
JUHASZ—If you like.
ADELE—He is so fond of you. [_Runs to the archway._] Oscar! [_Comes down
stage again._] It grieves him so.... [_OSCAR enters through the archway,
slowly, sadly. Up stage, between the two counters, he pauses._]
OSCAR—Does he know everything?
ADELE—Yes.
OSCAR—Peter, this moment had to come.
JUHASZ—Never mind that, my son.
OSCAR—[_Begins rhetorically._] From first to last our conduct has been
irreproachable——
JUHASZ—It’s my own conduct I’m thinking about, not yours.
OSCAR—I see you intend to act nobly.
JUHASZ—Nobly?
OSCAR—Or else you would kill both of us.
JUHASZ—Please! I don’t want to stand in your way. I don’t know how
another man would act in my place, but——
OSCAR _and_ ADELE—[_Simultaneously._] The same! Just the same!
JUHASZ—But it’s the way I feel.
OSCAR—You are the best ... the best ... the best.... [_Suddenly kisses
his hand._]
JUHASZ—Have you gone mad?
OSCAR—Pardon me. Before we part forever there is one promise I want to
make you on my sacred word of honor. I’ll send you back that money the
very first day I get it. Not a day later.
ADELE—[_Quickly; embarrassed._] I couldn’t tell you before.... I had
hoped you’d understand. I didn’t spend the fifty-one thousand kronen
myself.... I gave them to Oscar.
OSCAR—[_Quickly._] That is, not for me, but for a little enterprise in
Berlin in which I have bought an interest. A little shop of which I—that
is, we—are to be one-fourth owners. Steger and Company! Steger—that’s
Steger. And the Company—that’s me.... At first I thought of putting up my
own name instead of Company, but as long as Adele got the money I decided
it would be only fair to say Company, and that includes her too....
JUHASZ—She gave the money to you?
OSCAR—I didn’t want it for myself. My God, I can live on bread and water.
But I couldn’t ask Adele to share the uncertain existence of a shop
clerk.... That would have been, if I may say so, unscrupulous of me. I
had to provide for her future.
JUHASZ—If she gave you the money, it’s yours.
OSCAR—I considered that I owed it to _you_ to provide for her future
decently. You would have every right to despise me if I hadn’t.
JUHASZ—I must admit ... you managed things cleverly.
OSCAR—[_In an injured tone._] What do you mean by that? I did everything
honestly and above board. [_Takes ADELE’S hand._] Our relations couldn’t
have been purer if we were two children.
JUHASZ—[_A bit sharply._] Please! I forbid you to discuss that. She is
still my wife. There is no question about her purity here.
OSCAR—[_Aggressively._] I might have known you would take that tone.
[_PHILIP appears in the archway._]
PHILIP—You are wanted on the telephone, Mr. Juhasz.
JUHASZ—Coming. [_He exits through the archway; PHILIP lets him pass,
looks frigidly at ADELE and OSCAR, then exits too._]
ADELE—[_Suddenly._] What did you shout at him for?
OSCAR—I know what I’m doing. Just you cry ... and let me shout. Now hurry
and get ready. He’s taken it much too hard to suit me. Where’s your hat?