ALFRED. Useless tears—such a lot of tears!
MATHILDA. I am mad because they were useless—although—to think that my father-in-law could be such a sly one!
ALFRED. Yes, he is something of a joker, to put it mildly. He is always talking about how tired he is, but that's nothing but laziness—oh, he's lazy, I tell you——
MATHILDA. Don't say any more nasty things about him—but let us get away from here. I have to dress, you know, and put up my hair.—Just think, that my father-in-law isn't what I thought him—that he could be fooling us like that and not telling the truth! Perhaps you are like that, too? Oh, that I can't know what you really are!
ALFRED. You'll find out afterward.
MATHILDA. But then it's too late.
ALFRED. It's never too late——
MATHILDA. All you who lived in this house are bad—And now I am afraid of you——
ALFRED. Not of me, though?
MATHILDA. I don't know what to think. Why didn't you tell me before that your father was well off?