the matter? (The electric bell goes
on ringing to the close of the dialogue.)

ALVA. Something's gone wrong there--

ESCERNY. How can you get so suddenly frightened?

ALVA. That must be a hellish confusion! (He runs out. Escerny follows
him. The door remains open. Faint dance-music heard. Pause. Lulu enters
in a long cloak, and shuts the door to behind her. She wears a
rose-colored ballet costume with flower garlands. She walks across the
stage and sits down in the big arm-chair near the mirror. After a pause
Alva returns.)

ALVA. You had a faint?

LULU. Please lock the door.

ALVA. At least come down to the stage.

LULU. Did you see him?

ALVA. See whom?

LULU. With his bride?

ALVA. With his-- (To Schoen, who enters.) You might have spared yourself
that jest!

SCHOEN. What's the matter with her? (To Lulu.) How can you play the
scene straight at me!

LULU. I feel as if I'd been whipped.

SCHOEN. (After bolting the door.) You will dance--as sure as I've taken
the responsibility for you!

LULU. Before your bride?

SCHOEN. Have you a right to trouble yourself before whom? You've been
engaged here. You receive your salary ...

LULU. Is that your affair?

SCHOEN. You dance for anyone who buys a ticket. Whom I sit with in my
box has nothing to do with your business!

ALVA. I wish you'd stayed sitting in your box! (To Lulu.) Tell me,
please, what I am to do. (A knock at the door.) There is the manager.
(Calls.) Yes, in a moment! (To Lulu.) You won't compel us to break off
the performance?

SCHOEN. (To Lulu.) Onto the stage with you!

LULU. Let me have just a moment! I can't now. I'm utterly miserable.

ALVA. The devil take the whole theater crowd!

LULU. Put in the next number. No one will notice if I dance now or in
five minutes. There's no strength in my feet.

ALVA. But you will dance then?

LULU. As well as I can.

ALVA. As badly as you like. (A knock at the door again.) I'm coming.

LULU. (When Alva is gone.) You are right to show me where my place is.
You couldn't do it better than by letting me dance the skirt-dance
before your fiancee.... You do me the greatest service when you point
out where I belong.

SCHOEN. (Sardonically.) For you with your origin it's incomparable luck
to still have the chance of entering before respectable people!

LULU. Even when my shamelessness makes them not know where to look.

SCHOEN. Nonsense!--Shamelessness?--Don't make a necessity of virtue!
You