The Pot Boiler: A Comedy in Four Acts Part 13

_Schmidt._ She haf not told me!

_Jack._ One look would have told you. She ought to go home and stay in bed for a week.

She ought to be sent away somewhere--the city is no place for one in her condition. _(Belle leans Her head against the table.)_ There!

There! _(Pats her on the arm.)_ Why, she's as thin as a rail! How could you work a girl so?

_Schmidt._ Who is to do her work?

_Jack._ I'll do it myself--

_Schmidt._ You?

_Jack._ Of course. Why can't I do it? Why can't I do it right along?

_Schmidt._ Vot? Take her place?

_Jack._ Certainly. Let her go home and stay.

_Belle._ No, no! I can't give up.

_Jack._ It won't be giving up. It'll be resting. I'll bring you the money--I can pay you back that way.

_Belle._ But how will you live?

_Jack._ I don't know. I'll make out. He'll feed me. _(To Schmidt.)_ You give me a chance. I'll show you what I can do. Here _(takes Belle's ap.r.o.n and puts it on)._ Now, then--bring on your customers!

I've been a waiter all my life!

_Belle._ I can't let you.

_Jack._ You go and rest. I'll help you home when we close _(starts leading her Left)._

_Belle._ My sister comes for me.

_Jack._ All right. But you have a rest meantime _(exit with Belle)._

_Schmidt._ Humph! You don't vait to hear vot I say! _(he paces up and down in anger)._ Vot you tink of dot for nerve, hey? He comes by mine place und he hires himself to vork for me, und he don't ask if I vant him! Vell, I feed him vot I feed a girl. I don't feed him no double orders! _(shakes his fist at exit Left)_ No sir! I feed you on single orders, und if you vant double orders, you go by Schnitzelman on der next block! I make no money in der restaurant business, I got to pay more vages for my cook, und den she don't stay! Und I got to pay more for food, und it ain't so good as it vas, und mine customers find it out und dey don't come back to me!

You get no double orders by me, you hear me, sir? _(exit Left, storming) (suddenly the bell rings in the Real-play Left. Play-play vanishes.)_

_Will (starting)._ What's that?

_Bill (leaping in at window)._ Somebody's at the door!

_Peggy (starts to door Left)._ I'll see.

_Bill (running past her)._ Let me see! _(opens door)_ Oh, it's Mr.

Schmidt!

_Peggy._ Mr. _Schmidt?_

_Bill._ Our grocer.

_Schmidt (appears in doorway of Real-play, wearing same costume)._ Good afternoon, lady.

_Peggy._ Oh, Mr. Schmidt. Good afternoon, Mr. Schmidt.

_Schmidt._ I come to see ven you pay me dot bill, lady.

_Peggy._ I'm sorry, Mr. Schmidt, we haven't the money yet.

_Schmidt._ But you told me you haf dot money soon!

_Peggy._ I know--Mr. Schmidt--

_Schmidt._ I _got_ to haf dot money, lady!

_Will._ Can't you see I'm working as hard as I can?

_Schmidt._ I dunno vot you do for vorking. I dunno vy if you vork you don't haf money to pay your grocer bills.

_Will._ Well, I know about my work better than you, I guess!--

_Peggy._ Now, Will--be quiet. Listen, Mr. Schmidt--we've had hard luck the last few days, but we're honest people, and we won't cheat you out of your money.

_Schmidt._ You don't come by my place for some days, now, hey?

_Peggy._ We haven't had money to buy anything, Mr. Schmidt.

_Schmidt._--Vot you do for food den--hey?

_Peggy._ We had a little bread--and those beans you gave us--and the prunes. We've been living on them.

_Schmidt._ But dem beans und prunes--dey should be all gone now.

_Peggy._ We've been sparing. There's enough for to-morrow morning yet.

_Schmidt._ Hey? Mein Gott! Und vot you feed dot liddle boy, hey?

_Peggy._ We're hoping for a check to-day--or perhaps to-morrow. My husband wrote a poem, and a magazine has just published it--

_Schmidt_. Poem, hey? Vot dey pay for poems?

_Peggy_. I don't know. Maybe twenty or thirty dollars. And then we can pay your bill, and you'll let us have some more beans.

_Schmidt_. It is not right dot liddle boy should live on beans!

(_stands scratching his head_) I dunno, lady, I dunno--it is not right your husband should vork and not get paid. I got mine own bills to pay--und I don't make no money by my store. But you can't feed dot liddle boy on beans und prunes. You come to my place now, und I give you some pickles und some sauerkraut.

_Peggy_. Oh, thank you, Mr. Schmidt!

_Will_ (_desperately_). We'll truly pay you, Mr. Schmidt!