Roses: Four One-Act Plays Part 42

Frau v. Brook.

Ah, it isn't only that.

The Princess.

Look out there! See the woods!--Ah, to lie down on the moss, to cover oneself with leaves, to watch the clouds pa.s.s by high above----

Frau v. Brook (_softening_).

We can do that, too, sometime.

The Princess (_laughing aloud_).

Sometime!

(The Lackey _appears at the door_).

Frau v. Brook.

Is everything ready? (The Lackey _bows._)

The Princess (_aside to_ Frau v. Brook).

But I simply cannot sleep.

Frau v. Brook.

Try to, for my sake. (_Aloud._) Does your Highness command----

The Princess (_smiling and sighing_).

Yes, I command. (_They go out, left._)

(_The stage remains empty for several moments. Then_ Strubel _is heard trying the latch of the back door._)

Strubel's Voice.

Hullo! What's up! Why is this locked all of a sudden? Rosa!--Open up!

I've got to look through the telescope! Rosa! Won't you?--Oh, well, I know how to help myself. (_He is seen walking outside of the gla.s.s-covered veranda. Then he puts his head through the open window at the right._) Not a soul inside?-- (_Climbs over._) Well, here we are.

What on earth has happened to these people? (_Unlocks the back door and looks out._) Everything deserted. Well, it's all the same to me.

(_Locks the door again._) But let's find out right away what the carriage has to do with the case. (_Prepares to look through the telescope_. The Princess _enters cautiously through the door at the left, her hat in her hand. Without noticing_ Strubel, _who is standing motionless before the telescope, she goes hurriedly to the door at the back and unlocks it._)

Strubel.

(_Startled at the sound of the key, turns around._) Why, how do you do?

(The Princess, _not venturing to move, glances back at the door through which she has entered._) Wouldn't you like to look through the telescope a while? Please do. (The Princess, _undecided as to whether or not she should answer him, takes a few steps back toward the door at the left._) Why are you going away? I won't do anything to you.

The Princess (_rea.s.sured_).

Oh, I'm not going away.

Strubel.

That's right. But--where have you come from? The door was locked.

Surely you didn't climb through the window as I did?

The Princess (_frightened_).

What?--You came--through the window?----

Strubel.

Of course I did.

The Princess (_frightened anew_).

Then I had rather (_About to go back._)

Strubel.

Oh, my dear young lady, you just stay right here. Why, before I'd drive you away I'd pitch myself headlong over a precipice!

The Princess (_smiling, rea.s.sured_).

I only wanted to go out into the woods for half an hour.

Strubel.

Oh, then you're a regular guest here at the Inn?

The Princess (_quickly_).

Yes--yes, of course.

Strubel.

And of course you drink the waters down below?

The Princess (_in a friendly way_).

Oh, yes, I drink the waters. And I'm taking the baths, too.

Strubel.

Two hundred metres up and down every time! Isn't that very hard on you?

Heavens! And you look so pale! See here, my dear young lady, don't you do it. It would be better for you to go down there--that is-- Oh, forgive me! I've been talking without thinking. Of course, you have your own reasons-- It's decidedly cheaper up here. _I_ know how to value a thing of that sort. I've never had any money in all my life!

The Princess (_trying to seem practical_).