LOTH
Well, in all probability he dances to her music. Perhaps she tyrannises over him?
HELEN
Oh, if it were nothing else?... No! It is too frightful!--You can't possibly guess that _that_ ... my father ... that it was _my_ father whom you ...
LOTH
Don't weep, Nellie!... Look, you almost make me feel as though I ought to insist that you tell ...
HELEN
No, no, it isn't possible. I haven't the strength!--not yet!
LOTH
But you're wearing yourself out this way!
HELEN
But I'm so ashamed, so boundlessly ashamed! Why, you will drive me from you in horror...! It's beyond anything...! It's loathsome!
LOTH
Nellie, dear, you don't know me if you can think such things of me!
Repulse you! Drive you from me! Do I seem such a brute to you?
HELEN
My brother-in-law said that you would quite calmly ... But no, no, you wouldn't? Would you?--You wouldn't just ruthlessly walk over me? Oh! you won't! You mustn't! I don't know what _would_ become of me!
LOTH
But, dear, it's senseless to talk so. There's no earthly reason!
HELEN
But if there were a reason, it might happen!
LOTH
No! Not at all!
HELEN
But if you could think of a reason?
LOTH
There are reasons, to be sure; but they're not in question.
HELEN
And what kind of reasons?
LOTH
I would have to be ruthless only toward some one who would make me betray my own most ideal self.
HELEN
And surely, I wouldn't want to do that! And yet I can't rid myself of the feeling--
LOTH
What feeling, dearest?
HELEN
Perhaps it's just because I'm nothing but a silly girl. There's so little to me--Why, I don't even know what it is--to have principles! Isn't that frightful? But I just simply love you so! And you're so good, and so great, and so very wise! I'm so afraid that you might, sometime, discover--when I say something foolish, or do something--that it's all a mistake, that I'm much too silly for you ... I'm really as worthless and as silly as I can be!
LOTH
What shall I say to all that? You're everything to me, just everything in the whole world. I can't say more!
HELEN
And I'm very strong and healthy, too ...
LOTH
Tell me, are your parents in good health?
HELEN
Indeed they are. That is, mother died in childbirth. But father is still well; in fact he must have a very strong constitution. But ...
LOTH
Well, you see. Everything is ...
HELEN
But if my parents were not strong--;
LOTH