SCHIGOLCH. You've heard that often enough!
SCHIGOLCH. Little mother's sonny! (_Presses past Alva, gropes across the stage to Hunidei's coat, and searches the pockets. Alva crawls to Lulu's door._) Gloves, nothing more! (_Turns the coat round, searches the inside pockets, pulls a book out that he gives to Alva._) Just see what that is. (_Alva holds the book to the light._)
ALVA. (_Wearily deciphering the title-page._) Warnings to pious pilgrims and such as wish to be so. Very helpful. Price, 2 s. 6 d.
SCHIGOLCH. It looks to me as if God had left *him* pretty completely. (_Lays the coat over the chair again and makes for the cubby-hole._) There's nothing doing with these people. The country's best time's behind it!
ALVA. Life is never as bad as it's painted. (_He, too, creeps back._)
SCHIGOLCH. Not even a silk muffler he's got and yet in Germany we creep on our bellies before this rabble.
SCHIGOLCH. She only thinks of herself, and takes the first man that runs across her path. Hope the dog remembers her the rest of his life! (_They disappear, left, shutting the door behind them. Lulu re-enters, setting the lamp on the table. Hunidei follows._)
LULU. Will you come to see me again? (_Hunidei stops her mouth. She looks upward in a sort of despair and shakes her head. Hunidei, putting his coat on, approaches her grinning; she throws her arms around his neck; he gently frees himself, kisses her hand, and turns to the door. She starts to accompany him, but he signs to her to stay behind and noiselessly leaves the room. Schigolch and Alva re-enter._)
LULU. (_Tonelessly._) How he has stirred me up!
LULU. (_As before._) Here it is! All! Take it! I'm going down again.
SCHIGOLCH. We can still live like princes up here.
SCHIGOLCH. Then let's just retire again, quick.
ALVA. He's after his prayer-book. Here it is. It must have fallen out of his coat.
LULU. (_Listening._) No, that isn't he. That's some one else.
ALVA. Some one's coming up. I hear it quite plainly.
LULU. Now there's some one tapping at the door. Who may that be?
SCHIGOLCH. Probably a good friend he's recommended us to. Come in! (_Countess Geschwitz enters, in poor clothes, with a canvas roll in her hand._)
GESCHWITZ. (_To Lulu._) If I've come at a bad time, I'll turn around again. The truth is, I haven't spoken to a living soul for ten days. I must just tell you right off, I haven't got any money. My brother never answered me at all.