ALICE. That is just his vampire nature--to interfere with other people's destinies, to suck interest out of other existences, to regulate and arrange the doings of others, since he can find no interest whatever in his own life. And remember, Curt, don't ever admit him into your family life, don't ever make him acquainted with your friends, for he will take them away from you and make them his own. He is a perfect magician in this respect. Were he to meet your children, you would soon find them intimate with _him_, and he would be advising them and educating them to suit himself--but principally in opposition to _your_ wishes.
CURT. Alice, was it not he who took my children away from me at the time of the divorce?
ALICE. Since it is all over now--yes, it was he.
CURT. I have suspected it, but never had any certainty. It was he!
ALICE. When you placed your full trust in my husband and sent him to make peace between yourself and your wife, he made love to her instead, and taught her the trick that gave her the children.
ALICE. There you have another side of him. [_Silence_.
CURT. Do you know, last night--when he thought himself dying--then--he made me promise that I should look after his children!
ALICE. But you don't want to revenge yourself on my children?
CURT. Yes--by keeping my promise. I shall look after your children.
ALICE. You could take no worse revenge, for there is nothing he hates so much as generosity.
CURT. Then I may consider myself revenged--without any revenge.
ALICE. I love revenge as a form of justice, and I am yearning to see evil get its punishment.
ALICE. There I shall always remain, and the day I forgave or loved an enemy I should be a hypocrite.
CURT. It may be a duty not to say everything, Alice, not to see everything. It is called forbearance, and all of us need it.
ALICE. Not I! My life lies clear and open, and I have always played my cards straight.
ALICE. No, it is not saying enough. Because what I have suffered innocently for the sake of this man, whom I never loved----
ALICE. Who can tell? Because he took me, seduced me! I don't know. And then I was longing to get up on the heights----
ALICE. Which was despised! But you know, he cheated me! He held out hopes of a pleasant life, a handsome home--and there was nothing but debts; no gold except on the uniform--and even that was not real gold. He cheated me!