Volume 20 / Act 5 — SCENE VIII

Gerardo (alone, comes forward, sinks into an armchair, with basket of champagne in front of him, looks at the bottles). For whom am I raking together so much money?—For my children I Yes, if I had any children!—For my old age?—Two more years will make a wreck of me!—Then it will be:

"Alas, alas, The hobby is forgotten!"