human
I'm glad you were late, he said, after her affectionate protestations regarding her shortcomings,
gpt
Don't you remember, liebchen, how it was over there in Europe--after you'd treated me badly, you were always so nice, that I used to be quite tempted to make you be horrid?
human
I never was horrid to you,
gpt
You're never horrid any more,
human
Well, do you _want_ me to be?
gpt
Yes! I wish you'd turn in once in a while and call me an old brute, and say you wished you'd never seen me, and didn't know how in heaven's name you were going to go on living with me!
human
Karl, she gasped--
gpt
No--at least I hope not. But you're just nice to me all the time, because--because I'm blind! I don't like it! I wish you'd _swear_ at me sometimes!
human
Well, in the first place, laughing, but serious too,--it had come so heatedly,
gpt
Oh, swear was figurative language,
human
And of all things for a man to harrow up his soul about! Not liking it because his wife is never horrid to him!
gpt
It's not as crazy as it sounds. Are you and I a couple of plaster saints? Well, hardly! Then why don't we have any quarrels? It's just because you're sorry for me! I'll not have you being sorry for me!
human
You don't know much, do you, Karl? Don't you know that we don't quarrel about little things, because we've had so many big things on hand? We don't swear at each other, because--
gpt
Because we have so many other things to swear at,
human
That's it. All our fighting emotion is being used up.
gpt
Oh, you're such a genius for making things seem right! Now looking at it that way, I'm quite reconciled to your being nice to me. Still I want you to promise that if you ever feel like swearing, you will.
human
I promise,
gpt
Don't do things--or not do things--because you're sorry for me, Ernestine.
human
We are 'sorry for' people who are unequal to things. I'm sorry with you, not for you, Karl.
gpt
Ernestine, --with an affectionate little laugh--
human
You might play a little for me, he said after a silence.
gpt
Play that thing that ends in a question.
human
Of Liszt's?
gpt
Yes; the one that leaves you wondering.