ACT THREE
Scene: A bedroom in the Metropolitan Hotel, Berlin.
[Lassalle in shirt-sleeves, putting on his collar before the mirror. Jacques standing by, brushing his coat.]
Lassalle. [Wrestling with unruly collar-button] Yes; that is the coat. A long, plain, priestly coat. [Gaily, half to himself and half to valet] You see, I am going on a delicate errand, and I must not fail——
Jacques. They say you never fail in anything.
Lassalle. Which is not saying that I might not fail in the future.
Jacques. Impossible.
Lassalle. Now, today I am going to call on a man who hates me—who totally misunderstands me—and my task is to convince him, without mentioning the subject, that I am a gentleman. In fact—[A knock at the door] In fact—answer that, please, Jacques—to convince him that a man may be earnest and honest in his efforts for human betterment, and that——
Jacques. [To porter at door] The master, Herr Lassalle, is dressing. I will give him her card.
Porter. She says she knows him, and demands admittance. She will give neither her name nor her card.