Now I know that you're not by one hair's breadth better … indeed, you're much worse—the worst of them all here!
HOFFMANN
[Arises. With assumed coldness.] D'you know, your behaviour to-day is really quite peculiar.
HELEN
[Approaches him.] You have just one end in view. [Almost whispering.] But you have very different weapons from father and from my stepmother, or from my excellent betrothed—oh, quite different. They are all lambs, all of them, compared to you. Now, now, suddenly, that has become clear as day to me.
HOFFMANN
[With hypocritical indignation.] Helen, you seem really not to be in your right mind; you're, suffering under a delusion…. [He interrupts himself and strikes his forehead.] Good Lord, of course! I see it all. You have … it's very early in the day, to be sure, but I'd wager … Helen! Have you been talking to Alfred Loth this morning?
HELEN
And why should I not have been talking to him? He is the kind of man before whom we should all be hiding in shame if things went by rights.