Allmers.

Hated me——!

Rita.

Yes—when you shut yourself up in your room and brooded over your work—till long, long into the night. [Plaintively.] So long, so late, Alfred. Oh, how I hated your work!

Allmers.

But now I have done with that.

Rita.

[With a cutting laugh.] Oh yes! Now you have given yourself up to something worse.

Allmers.

[Shocked.] Worse! Do you call our child something worse?