MICH. Ah!
AUDR. But you don’t really believe there is a devil? Why don’t you speak? Why don’t you laugh at me and tell me it’s all nonsense? I haven’t really given the devil power over your soul?
MICH. No devil has any power over any soul of man until the man himself first gives him entrance and consent.
AUDR. And you haven’t! Say you don’t care for me.
MICH. How can I say that?
AUDR. You must! I’m not strong enough to leave you of my own free will. I shall hang about you, worry you, tease you, tempt you, and at last, destroy you. Don’t let me do it! Beat me away from you, insult me, do something to make me hate you! Make me leave you!
MICH. When I love you with all my being?
AUDR. (shows great delight). And you dare go on? It’s an awful delight to think that a man would dare to risk hell for one! There aren’t many men who would dare lose this world for the woman they love—how many men are there that would dare to lose the other?
MICH. We must lose this world, for I am vowed away from all earthly things. But why should we lose the other? Why should we not make our love the lever to raise our souls? You do love me?
AUDR. Love is hardly the word. It is more like—if a man could create a dog, and be her master, friend, father, and God, I think she would feel towards him something of what I feel towards you. You have first made me know what love is, what life is. You have changed me thoroughly—no, you have changed half of me thoroughly—one half is still worthless, silly, capricious, hollow, worldly, and bad—that’s my old self. She is gradually withering up under your influence, that old Audrie Lesden. The other half is looking out of my eyes at you now! Look! do you see the new Audrie Lesden that is your daughter and your creature? Aren’t you proud of her?