for I know not what! I
would love my child, even if it had your features, and I would cry so
much before the poor innocent thing that, when it grew older and wiser,
it would certainly not despise and curse its mother. But it is not
myself alone; and on Judgement Day I shall much more easily find an
answer to the Judge's question: why did you drive your father to it?

LEANARD.

You talk as if you were the first woman and the last to find herself in
your predicament! Thousands have gone through it before you and
submitted to their fate. Thousands after you will be confronted with the
same situation and accept their fate. Are all these others strumpets,
that you are so anxious to stand in the corner by yourself? They also
had fathers who invented a score of new oaths when they first heard of
it, and talked about murder and homicide! Afterward they were ashamed of
themselves and repented their oaths and blasphemies; they sat down and
rocked the child, or fanned the flies away!

CLARA.

I readily believe that you fail to understand why anybody in the world
should keep an oath.

SCENE III

_Enter a boy_

BOY.

Here are some flowers! I am not to say from whom they come!

LEANARD.

Oh, what pretty flowers!

[_He beats his brow._]

The devil! How stupid of me! I should have sent Some! How can I get out
of it? I do not understand such things, and the little girl will take it
to heart! She has nothing else to think about!

[_He takes the flowers._]

But I shall not keep all of them.

[_To_ Clara] How about it? These here signify repentance and shame,
don't they? Did you not say that to me once?

CLARA (_nods_.)

LEANARD (_To the boy_).

See here, boy, these are for me. I fasten them on me here, you
see--where my heart is. These, these dark red ones, which burn like a
dismal fire, you may take back. Do you understand? As soon as my apples
are ripe, you may come for some!

BOY.

That is a long time off!

[_Exit_.]

SCENE IV

LEANARD.

Yes, you see, Clara; you spoke about keeping one's word. Just because I
am a man of my word I must answer you again as I have already answered
once before. A week ago I wrote you a letter--you cannot deny it--there
it lies! [_He hands her the letter, which she takes mechanically_.] I
had reason--your brother--you say he is acquitted--I am glad of that!
But during these eight days I have entered into a new relation. I had a
right to do it, for you did not pr