are you married?

STROEBEL. No.

BEERMANN. I thought not. If you had a family you would not speak
in that fashion of sentimentality.

STROEBEL. If I had a family, I would not, to begin with, be
involved in this.

BEERMANN. But ...

STROEBEL. My name would not appear in the diary of Hauteville.

BEERMANN. You never can tell.

STROEBEL. Excuse me. What is there left of family life when such
things happen?

BEERMANN. What do you mean? If nobody finds it out?

STROEBEL. But such a man must live constantly under a deception.

BEERMANN. My dear Assessor. If the white lie ceases in married
life, the couple drifts apart.

STROEBEL. I cannot believe that!

BEERMANN [persuadingly]. Take my word for it. In every happy
marriage the parties lie to each other to keep their affection