“Oh no!  If we seem to be obstinate, it is only because we cannot be otherwise, not because our will is bad.  We cannot, because we do not will properly.  Hence it is not bad will, but lack of will.  And to whom is the fault attributable but to you women, who have such a super-abundance of good will and keep it all to yourselves, unwilling to share it with us.  But it happened quite against my will that we fell a-talking about will—­I am sure I do not know why we are doing it.  Still, it is much better for me to vent my feelings by talking than by smashing the beautiful chinaware.  It gave me a chance to recover from my astonishment over your unexpected compunction, your excellent discourse, and your laudable resolution.  Really, this is one of the strangest pranks that you have ever given me the honor of witnessing; so far as I can remember, it has been several weeks since you have talked by daylight in such solemn and unctuous periods as you used in your little sermon today.  Would you mind translating your meaning into prose?”

“Really, have you forgotten already about yesterday evening and the interesting company?  Of course I did not know that.”

“Oh!  And so that is why you are so out of sorts—­because I talked with Amalia too much?”

“Talk as much as you please with anybody you please.  But you must be nice to me—­that I insist on.”

“You spoke so very loud; the stranger was standing close by, and I was nervous and did not know what else to do.”

“Except to be rude in your awkwardness.”

“Forgive me!  I plead guilty.  You know how embarrassed I am with you in society.  It always hurts me to talk with you in the presence of others.”

“How nicely he manages to excuse himself!”

“The next time do not pass it over!  Look out and be strict with me.  But see what you have done!  Isn’t it a desecration?  Oh no!  It isn’t possible, it is more than that.  You will have to confess it—­you were jealous.”

“All the evening you rudely forgot about me.  I began to write it all out for you today, but tore it up.”

“And then, when I came?”

“Your being in such an awful hurry annoyed me.”

“Could you love me if I were not so inflammable and electric?  Are you not so too?  Have you forgotten our first embrace?  In one minute love comes and lasts for ever, or it does not come at all.  Or do you think that joy is accumulated like money and other material things, by consistent behavior?  Great happiness is like music coming out of the air—­it appears and surprises us and then vanishes again.”

“And thus it was you appeared to me, darling!  But you will not vanish, will you?  You shall not!  I say it!”

“I will not, I will stay with you now and for all time.  Listen!  I feel a strong desire to hold a long discourse with you on jealousy.  But first we ought to conciliate the offended gods.”

“Rather, first the discourse and afterward the gods.”