Berm. What a question!
Laz. If you are a man of honour——. What, go away without answering me? Well, the way is free to you (withdrawing from him). Oh! I’ll not detain you.
Berm. By God, Lazarus——
Laz. But reflect, that through the cowardice of a moment, through not having spoken to me as one man speaks to another man—for I still am a man—you are about to do great mischief. Because if you don’t say to me, “Renounce,” I shall not renounce Carmen; I shall embrace her and drag her down with me to the abyss.
Berm. You see that I can do no more.
Laz. You see that love is life—the oil of life which propagates itself. And what will be our posterity? Come, say it, boldly. A swarm of neurotics, of idiots, of lunatics, perhaps of criminals. A common sewer hurrying on to death the wrecks of humanity. In candour, in honesty, say it.
Berm. Oh! what a head! Indeed, if you continue thus, I assure you that you will go mad.
Laz. By the memory of your mother, by the honour of your family, by the happiness of your children, by the sacred duty of your profession, by your conscience as an upright man, by your God, by piety, by compassion——, if you had a daughter would you allow her to marry me?
Berm. To-day? No! (Wishes to continue.)
Laz. Enough! nor to-morrow either. Enough—never—thank you. My sentence! Carmen, Carmen! (Falls on the sofa.)