Rip. But for what, young man?
Enter Lowena.
Lowena. Gustave. [Moving to him.
Gustave. Ah! dear Lowena!
Rip. Lowena! Ah! dat is my daughter—and I have a son too, a lublicka boy; but my daughter is a girl, and I always lub my leetle girl so much, ven she vas only so big—and I must not hug her now to my poor heart, because she—she has got another fader—and I am dead—yes, dey all tell me dat is a fact! I am dead to meinself and—and I am dead to my leetle girl.
Lowena. Oh, yes, Gustave, it is indeed a sad misfortune for us both, that my father should have entered into a contract which had for its object to coerce me into becoming the wife of Herman Van Slaus.
Rip. [Aside.] Yes, dat is a fact. I remember, de burgomaster come to my house last night mit a paper, and I wrote my name down on it; but I vas trunk.
Gustave. And having loved you so long, is it now impossible that you can become my wife?
Lowena. No, not impossible; but—oh, my poor dear father, if you had but survived to see this day!
Rip. [Aside.] I wish what I had—but I am dead, dat is a fact.