Margot (warding him off).
No! Go away! Go away!
Ebeling.
But you don't refuse me? And I'm not too old?
Margot (passionately bursting into laughter).
Oh!
Ebeling.
I was never free from the fear that you might not see anything in me except an image of that wasted, old creature. (Instead of answering, Margot stretches out her arms to him with a soft cry of longing. Ebeling draws the low stool to the writing-chair on which she is sitting, sits down upon it, and embraces her.) Margot, my youth, my whole youth that I've squandered and frittered away comes back to me once more through you. And now all will be well with you, too. It was only a nightmare. Your true self had nothing to do with it. Only--you must take heart again--you must think of yourself now.
Margot (ecstatically).
Yes, I am equal to anything now. I am not afraid to face the worst. I can even marry that man. I shall send him my acceptance quite calmly.--Of course. Why not?