BOLLAND. Right! And not in the dark city streets.
FRAU LUND. Nor there, Herr Kommerzienrat, where the veil of shame
is rudely torn from inborn sensitiveness and it is shorn of every
secret charm.
DR. WASNER. Correct! We do want to deprive it of its charm.
FRAU LUND. You succeed in doing that; no tenderness can survive
the brutal frankness of your meetings.
DR. WASNER. It is not a national German trait to sugar-coat sin.
FRAU LUND. Why do you confound all lack of refinement with the
national character?
DR. WASNER. Because it is good German to call a spade a spade.
BEERMANN [getting up]. Why argue to no purpose? Let's start our
game of skat.
BOLLAND. Because it appears to be a conflict of two different
philosophies.
BEERMANN [rises, goes to card table, opens a drawer, takes out a
deck of cards and opens them]. It's always the same old story.
Never start anything with women! They must have the last word.
[Sits down at card table. Bolland gets up and sits beside him.]
FRAU LUND [laughing]. Spoken again like a typical reformer.
DR. WASNER [rising]. I don't want to continue this argument, but
if by any chance you have gained the impression that I regard this
matter from a prejudiced view point, I will cheerfully admit it. I
do.
BEERMANN [calling]. Oh, do come on, Herr Professor.
DR. WASNER [turning to card table].
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