human
Ernestine! Ernestine! --the sob in his voice was not to be denied--
gpt
What am I going to do?
human
Karl, --after her moment of passionate silence--
gpt
No! --that would have no denying; and then:
human
Oh but I'm the brute to talk to you like this, after you've been --again he swept her into his arms--
gpt
Karl dear--let's be honest. Let's not do so much pretending with each other. For just this once let's look it right in the face. I want to understand--oh how I want to! What's the very worst of it, dear? Is it--the work?
human
Yes! --the word leaped out as though let loose from a long bondage.
gpt
Ernestine--no one but a man can quite see that. What _is_ a man without a man's work? What is there for him to do but sit around in namby-pamby fashion and be fussed over and coddled and cheered up! Lord --he threw away her hands and turned his face from her--
human
I'd rather be dead!