The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann Volume Ii Part 38

[_He locks the door again._

MRS. HENSCHEL

You're to leave the door open, Wilhelm, or I'll cry for help!

HENSCHEL

--s.h.!.+ Keep still! Did you hear? There's somethin' runnin' along the pa.s.sage. D'you hear? Now it goes to the washstand. D'you hear the splas.h.i.+n'? She's standin' there an' was.h.i.+n' herself!

MRS. HENSCHEL

You! Wilhelm! You're dreamin'! The wash-stand is in here!

HENSCHEL

That's just it! I know very well! They can't deceive me. I know what I know, [_Hurriedly._] That's all I say.--Come, come, let's go to bed.

Time'll show.

[_While he approaches the door of the next room, Mrs. HENSCHEL softly unlocks the door to the hall and slips out._

HENSCHEL

[_Taking down a whip from the frame of the door._] Why, that's my old Triest whip! Where does that old thing come from? I haven't seen it for over a year. That was bought in mother's time. [_He listens._] What d'you say? Eh?--O' course ... Certainly.--Nothin'!--Well, s'posin'! An' why not? 'Tis well!--I know what I has to do!--I won't be stubborn.--You let that be too.

_SIEBENHAAR enters by the door which is slightly ajar. By means of gestures he signifies to WERMELSKIRCH, who follows him, that the latter is to remain behind, also to MRS. HENSCHEL. He is fully clad except that he wears a silk kerchief instead of a collar.

WERMELSKIRCH is in his dressing-gown._

SIEBENHAAR

Good evening, Mr. Henschel! What? Are you still up? You're not well, eh?

What's the matter with you?

HENSCHEL

[_After he has, for several seconds, regarded him with perplexity; simply:_] I just can't sleep. I don't get sleepy at all! I'd like to take some medicine, if I knew any. I don't know how it comes. G.o.d knows!

SIEBENHAAR

I'll tell you somethin', old friend: You go quietly to bed now, and to-morrow, real early, I'll send the doctor in. You must really take some serious step now.

HENSCHEL

No doctor won't be able to help me.

SIEBENHAAR

You mustn't say that; we'll see about that! Doctor Richter knows his business. My wife couldn't sleep for weeks; her head ached as if it would burst. Last Monday she took a powder, and now she sleeps all night like the dead.

HENSCHEL

Yes, yes ... well, well ... 'Tis possible! I'd like it well enough if I could sleep.--Is the madam reel sick?

SIEBENHAAR

Oh, we're all a little under the weather. When once Monday is past, everything will straighten out again.

HENSCHEL

I s'pose you has to turn over the property on Monday.

SIEBENHAAR

Yes, I hope it will be possible to arrange it by Monday. In the meantime the work is heaping up so--what with writing and making the inventory--that I scarcely get out of my clothes. But come now, Henschel, and go to bed. One man has one trouble and another has another. Life is no joke and we must all see how we can best fight our way through. And even if many strange thoughts pa.s.s through your head--don't take them to heart so!

HENSCHEL

Thank you many times, Mr. Siebenhaar. Don't take anythin' in ill part, please. An' good luck to you an' your wife!

SIEBENHAAR

We'll see each other again to-morrow, Henschel. You owe me no thanks for anything. We've done each other many a service in the years that we've lived together here. And those services compensate for each other. We were good friends and, surely, we will remain such.

HENSCHEL

[_Silently takes a few steps toward the window and looks out._]--Ah, them's queer things here. Time don't stand still in this world. Little Karl, he never came to see us no more ... I can't make no objection.

Maybe you was right. The lad couldn't ha' learned nothin' good here.

'Twas different--once!

SIEBENHAAR

Henschel, I don't know what you mean now!

HENSCHEL

An' you didn't cross my threshold neither. 'Tis nine months since you did.

SIEBENHAAR

I had too much to worry me; that's all.

HENSCHEL

Those were the very times you used to come before. No, no, I know. You were right. An' the people are right too--all of 'em. I can't take no pride in myself no more.

SIEBENHAAR

Henschel, you must take some rest now.

HENSCHEL