HAUSER. All you had to overcome was your timidity.
BEERMANN [sighing deeply]. If you only knew.
HAUSER. Of course you did not land on the primrose path with both feet, but you climbed carefully over the fence—just as befits a man of your embonpoint.
BEERMANN. I expected something better from you than mere mocking.
HAUSER. What do you want me to do? Shall I weep because you have sinned? Why? What good would it do you? That is the way of your kind. As long as no one has proofs against you, your virtue must always be under the spotlight, but the very minute you trip up, some peculiar background of justification ought to be invented for the smallest sin. No, my dear friend. The world's moral system will not go to pieces just because you slipped and broke your nose.
BEERMANN. You cannot realize what suffering you are inflicting upon me right now.
HAUSER. Now please don't make long speeches. You did not call me here to grant you absolution. You want me to help you to quash this affair.
BEERMANN [jumps up quickly from his chair]. Yes, you must do that. Good Lord, I beg you. I am in a terrible position. You have not the slightest idea how nervous I am.
HAUSER. Will you please sit down and stop exaggerating?
BEERMANN [sits down]. No man living can have sufficient imagination to enlarge on this. Imagine it! Any moment the police are likely to come here and arrest me.