PAULA—He must be made to believe that the money was sent by the person
from whom he’s expecting it. From Oscar Mezei ... in Berlin.
COUNT—I see. Not bad!
PAULA—Very simple. Have your cashier put fifty-one thousand kronen in an
envelope and with it a notification that the money comes from a Berlin
bank. Can he do that?
COUNT—[_Enthusiastically._] I’ll make him do it. And as soon as Juhasz
gets the money——
PAULA—He will hurry with it to the city ... to pay off his creditors ...
and take over his shop ... and stay in it.
COUNT—If we hurry, perhaps we can get him off by the noon train. I’ll see
the cashier at once. The whole thing shouldn’t take more than ten minutes
to fabricate.... You have made me very happy, dear. This clever plan
of yours is the first real intimation that you, too, want to be rid of
Juhasz.
PAULA—Rid of him! That’s a hideous way to put it.
COUNT—Put it as you like, the fact is there. It is perfectly natural for
me to be impatient ... but for you to be is ... charming.
PAULA—It isn’t impatience ... as much as ... uneasiness. When I look
at him ... sometimes ... I feel a twinge of doubt. When I see how
pathetically he tries to protect me ... from you ... I get a twinge of
remorse. It will be different when he has gone.... Yet I shouldn’t want
to see him go empty handed.... And neither would I want him ... ever to
find out that——
COUNT—Rely on me. The papers shall be forged carefully enough to deceive
a bank president. I’ll go to the cashier this minute.... Paula, you have
made me very happy. [_He takes her hand and kisses it._] If I were twenty
years younger I suppose I would have kissed you on that red, young mouth
of yours.
PAULA—Careful! Someone is coming.
COUNT—[_Still holding her hand; is about to kiss her._] No....
PAULA—I heard the outer door.