Beermann.  Seriously, Frau Lund.  Public immorality must hurt you more.

Frau Lund.  You arc mistaken.  It requires a genuine manly feeling to sympathize with misery.

Dr. Wasner.  Misery and vice are different problems.

Frau Lund.  They’re not.  And that is why we will never agree.

Frau Beermann.  All the more reason why my husband should not set himself up as an example.  He knows nothing of worry or care.

Beermann.  We can never subscribe to Frau Lund’s principles.

Frau Lund.  No principles, please!

Bolland.  Out of sheer opposition you will say that you hold different ones from us.

Frau Lund.  No.  I will say that I hold none at all.

Bolland. and Wasner [together].  But, gnadige Frau!

Frau Lund.  I can’t help it.  I lost them some place on my journey through life.  I have learned that all your principles have loop holes through which people can conveniently slip out and take their friends along with them.  So I had my choice of either surrendering them or dishonestly preaching them to others.

Dr. Wasner.  Real principles of life are never given up.

Hauser [with sarcasm].  Cheers from the gallery!

Bolland.  Principles of morality are the laws of nature—­they are her dictates.

Frau Lund.  Is that the reason you have started your Society for the Suppression of Vice?  Do you imagine your by-laws are stronger than the laws of nature?

Dr. Wasner.  May I make just one remark?

Beermann.  What is it?

Dr. Wasner [stroking his beard].  In summing up the matter we can come to this decision:  women have a beautiful privilege.  Certain facts in life remain a closed book to them.  We, men, unfortunately have to come into contact with them.

Hauser.  Did you say unfortunately?

Dr. Wasner.  Please don’t interrupt.  I maintain “unfortunately”!  For the last four years, I have been persistently following obscene literature, and to-day I have gotten together a collection of it, which I dare say is pretty complete.  So I am speaking of matters about which I am thoroughly informed. [With importance.] The degree of vulgarity our people have reached is incredible.

Frau Lund.  And you have been the “persistent collector” of this vulgarity?

Dr. Wasner.  Let me assure you that I took upon myself this task with loathing.

Hauser.  Herr Professor, in all my life I have never met a man who for four years voluntarily did something which was loathsome to him.

Dr. Wasner.  You have no business to make such a remark.