What"s that? (_He takes it_) What...? My letter to Philine...! Did you go to her, Cecilia?
CECILIA
Well, I felt a little nervous about it. Now I think it was rather silly of me.
AMADEUS
And how...?
CECILIA
Oh, the simplest thing in the world! I asked her for it, and she gave it to me. It was lying in an open drawer in her writing desk--with others. I think you can call yourself lucky.
AMADEUS
Cecilia! (_He tears the letter to pieces and throws these into the fireplace_)
CECILIA
Well, you would never have made up your mind to demand it of her, and that would have kept me in a state of irritation. I can"t have anything like that on my mind when I want to work.--And now that"s settled.
(_She turns away_) Then I went to the opera, too. I have had a talk with the Director. He"s going to indorse my request to be set free.
AMADEUS
Your request to be set free...?
CECILIA
Yes, I shall go to Berlin on the first of January.
AMADEUS
But, Cecilia, we haven"t talked it over yet....
CECILIA
What"s the use of postponing a thing that"s already settled in my own mind?--You know I never like to do that.
AMADEUS
But it means a whole year of separation!
CECILIA
To start with. But I think it might be just as well to prepare ourselves for a still longer period.
AMADEUS
Do you mean to leave me, Cecilia?!
CECILIA
What else can I do, Amadeus? That ought to be as clear to you as it is to me.
AMADEUS
So it would have been a little while ago, Cecilia. But I have come to see our future in a different light.... Cecilia ... Sigismund has been here!
CECILIA
Sigismund?!... You have talked with him?... What did he want?
AMADEUS
What did he want...? Your hand.
CECILIA
And you refused...?
AMADEUS
He is sending you his farewell greetings through me, Cecilia.
CECILIA
So that"s what has put you in such a good humor all at once! (_Pause_) And if he hadn"t come here?
AMADEUS
If he hadn"t come here....
CECILIA
Speak out, please!
AMADEUS (_remains silent_)
CECILIA
You didn"t mean to ... to fight him?
AMADEUS
I did. Albert was on his way to him at the time.
CECILIA
What vanity, Amadeus!