HAUTEVILLE. If I did, I'd soon lose my importance after eating that yellow broth from those rusty tin plates.
STROEBEL. And that will continue for some time.
HAUTEVILLE. [energetically]. No, it will not. I tell you right now that I will not spend another night in that dirty hole. I will not be mistreated any longer.
STROEBEL [with sarcasm]. Of course we are going to ask you for your kind permission.
HAUTEVILLE. I will not remain here. If they think I will let them ruin me, they're very much mistaken. This is an outrage and here fair play stops.
STROEBEL. The likes of you and fair play!
HAUTEVILLE. [bitterly]. Yes, the likes of me. Every day we hear the confessions of those very people who publicly show contempt for us. We know how false are all virtuous words with which they condemn us, but we remain silent.
STROEBEL. Of course, you do all this out of pure sense of fair play? [He imitates the motion of counting money.]
HAUTEVILLE. Money? ... My dear fellow, with money our patrons pay well for that very thing which they later on call indecent. You get as much decency from us for money as you get from other people, but believe me, we could shatter many illusions.
STROEBEL. Well, make a beginning right here.