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Irene.
[Curtly.] At that word I left you.
Professor Rubek.
You take everything so painfully to heart, Irene.
Irene.
[Drawing her hand over her forehead.] Perhaps you are right. Let us shake off all the hard things that go to the heart. [Plucks off the leaves of a mountain rose and strews them on the brook.] Look there, Arnold. There are our birds swimming.
Professor Rubek.
What birds are they?
Irene.
Can you not see? Of course they are flamingoes. Are they not rose-red?
Professor Rubek.
Flamingoes do not swim. They only wade.
Irene.
Then they are not flamingoes. They are sea-gulls.
Professor Rubek.
They may be sea-gulls with red bills, yes. [Plucks broad green leaves and throws them into the brook.] Now I send out my ships after them.
