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not let that man step in my way." Helen rushes into the room followed by the Valet. She is an unusually beautiful young woman in street dress.]

      Helen. That man stood there to prevent me from seeing you!

      Gerardo. Helen!

      Helen. You knew that I would come to see you.

      Valet [rubbing his cheek]. I did all I could, sir, but this lady actually—

      Helen. Yes, I slapped his face.

      Gerardo. Helen!

      Helen. Should I have let him insult me?

      Gerardo [to the Valet]. Please leave us.

      [The Valet goes out.]

      Helen [placing her muff on a chair]. I can no longer live without you. Either you take me with you or I will kill myself.

      Gerardo. Helen!

      Helen. Yes, kill myself. A day like yesterday, without even seeing you—no, I could not live through that again. I am not strong enough. I beseech you, Oscar, take me with you.

      Gerardo. I couldn't.

      Helen. You could if you wanted to. You can't leave me without killing me. These are not mere words. This isn't a threat. It is a fact: I will die if I can no longer have you. You must take me with you—it is your duty—if only for a short time.

      Gerardo. I give you my word of honor, Helen, I can't—I give you my word.

      Helen. You must, Oscar. Whether you can or not, you must bear the consequences of your acts. I love life, but to me life and you are one and the same thing. Take me with you, Oscar, if you don't want to have my blood on your hands.

      Gerardo. Do you remember what I said to you the first day we were together here?

      Helen. I remember, but what good does that do me?

      Gerardo. I said that there couldn't be any question of love between us.

      Helen. I can't help that. I didn't know you then. I never knew what a man could be to me until I met you. You know very well that it would come to this, otherwise you wouldn't have obliged me to promise not to make you a parting scene.

      Gerardo. I simply cannot take you with me.

      Helen. Oh, God! I knew you would say that! I knew it when I came here. That's what you say to every woman. And I am just one of a hundred. I know it. But, Oscar, I am lovesick; I am dying of love. This is your work, and you can save me without any sacrifice on your part, without assuming any burden. Why can't you do it?

      Gerardo [very slowly]. Because my contract forbids me to marry or to travel in the company of a woman.

      Helen [disturbed]. What can prevent you?

      Gerardo. My contract.

      Helen. You cannot....

      Gerardo. I cannot marry until my contract expires.

      Helen. And you cannot....

      Gerardo. I cannot travel in the company of a woman.

      Helen. That is incredible. And whom in the world should it concern?

      Gerardo. My manager.

      Helen. Your manager! What business is it of his?

      Gerardo. It is precisely his business.

      Helen. Is it perhaps because it might—affect your voice?

      Gerardo. Yes.

      Helen. That is preposterous. Does it affect your voice?

      [Gerardo chuckles.]

      Helen. Does your manager believe that nonsense?

      Gerardo. No, he doesn't.

      Helen. This is beyond me. I can't understand how a decent man could sign such a contract.

      Gerardo. I am an artist first and a man next.

      Helen. Yes, that's what you are—a great artist—an eminent artist. Can't you understand how much I must love you? You are the first man whose superiority I have felt and whom I desired to please, and you despise me for it. I have bitten my lips many a time not to let you suspect how much you meant to me; I was so afraid I might bore you. Yesterday, however, put me in a state of mind which no woman can endure. If I didn't love you so insanely, Oscar, you would think more of me. That is the terrible thing about you—that you must scorn a woman who thinks the world of you.

      Gerardo. Helen!

      Helen. Your contract! Don't use your contract as a weapon to murder me with. Let me go with you, Oscar. You will see if your manager ever mentions a breach of contract. He would not do such a thing. I know men. And if he says a word, it will be time then for me to die.

      Gerardo. We have no right to do that, Helen. You are just as little free to follow me, as I am to shoulder such a responsibility. I don't belong to myself; I belong to my art.

      Helen. Oh, leave your art alone. What do I care about your art? Has God created a man like you to make a puppet of himself every night? You should be ashamed of it instead of boasting of it. You see, I overlooked the fact that you were merely an artist. What wouldn't I overlook for a god like you? Even if you were a convict, Oscar, my feelings would be the same. I would lie in the dust at your feet and beg for your pity. I would face death as I am facing it now.

      Gerardo [laughing]. Facing death, Helen! Women who are endowed with your gifts for enjoying life don't make away with themselves. You know even better than I do the value of life.

      Helen [dreamily]. Oscar, I didn't say that I would shoot myself. When did I say that? Where would I find the courage to do that? I only said that I will die, if you don't take me with you. I will die as I would of an illness, for I only live when I am with you. I can live without my home, without my children, but not without you, Oscar. I cannot live without you.

      Gerardo. Helen, if you don't calm yourself.... You put me in an awful position.... I have only ten minutes left.... I can't explain in court that your excitement made me break my contract.... I can only give you ten minutes.... If you don't calm yourself in that time.... I can't leave you alone in this condition. Think all you have at stake!

      Helen. As though I had anything else at stake!

      Gerardo. You can lose your position in society.

      Helen. I can lose you!

      Gerardo. And your family?

      Helen. I care for no one but you.

      Gerardo. But I cannot be yours.

      Helen. Then I have nothing to lose but my life.

      Gerardo. Your children!

      Helen. Who has taken me from them, Oscar? Who has taken me from my children?

      Gerardo. Did I make any advances to you?

      Helen [passionately]. No, no. I have thrown myself at you, and would throw myself at you again. Neither my husband nor my children could keep me back. When I die, at least I will have lived; thanks to you, Oscar! I thank you, Oscar, for revealing me to myself. I thank you for that.

      Gerardo. Helen, calm yourself and listen to me.

      Helen. Yes, yes, for ten minutes.

      Gerardo. Listen to me. [Both sit down on the divan.]

      Helen [staring at him]. Yes, I thank you for it.

      Gerardo. Helen!

      Helen. I don't even ask you to love me. Let me only breathe the air you breathe.

      Gerardo[trying to be calm]. Helen—a man of my type cannot be swayed by any of the bourgeois ideas. I have known society women in every country of the world. Some made parting scenes to me, but

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