The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Ix Part 19

She was here! And has gone away again without having seen you contrite and repentant at her feet? Come! Come!

LEONARD.

I beg of you! You see before you a man who is ready to do anything that you dictate. This very evening I will betroth myself to her.

SECRETARY.

That I shall do, no one else. If the world itself hung on it you should not even touch the hem of her dress again! Come! Into the woods with me!

But mark this! I shall take you by the arm, and if on the way you emit a single cry--[_He holds up a pistol._] I trust you believe me!

Nevertheless, that you may not feel tempted, we will take the road through the garden behind the house!

LEONARD.

One of them is for me--give it to me!

SECRETARY.

So that you can throw it away and compel me to murder you or let you escape! Is that why you want it? Be patient, until we are on the spot!

Then I shall divide with you honestly!

LEONARD (_goes, and accidentally knocks his drinking-gla.s.s from the table_).

Shall I never take another drink?

SECRETARY.

Courage, my lad! Perhaps it will go well with you! G.o.d and the devil seem to be forever fighting for the world! Who knows which is master just now?

[_Seizes him by the arm; exeunt both._]

SCENE VII

_A Room in the Joiner's House; enter CARL._

CARL.

n.o.body at home! Had I not known about the rat-hole under the threshold where they always hide the key when they all go out, I could not have got in! Well, that would not have made any difference! I could run around the city twenty times now and imagine to myself that there was no greater pleasure in the world than that of using one's legs! Let's have a light!

[_He strikes a light._]

I'll bet the tinder-box is in the same old place, for we have twice ten commandments in this house! The hat belongs on the third nail, not on the fourth! At half past nine one has to be tired! Before Martinmas one must not s.h.i.+ver; after Martinmas one must not sweat! That stands on a line with: Thou shalt love and fear G.o.d! I am thirsty!

[_Calls._]

Mother! Fie! As if I had forgotten that she lies where even the innkeeper's boots no longer has to open his nut-cracker mouth with a "Yes, sir!" when he is called! I did not weep when I heard the funeral bell in my dark cell, but--Redcoat, you would not even let me roll the last ball at the bowling alley, although I already had it in my hand.

Well, I shall not leave you time for a last breath when I meet you alone, and that may happen this very evening! I know where you are to be found about ten o'clock! Afterward, aboard s.h.i.+p!--I wonder where Clara is? I am as hungry as I am thirsty! Today is Thursday--they have veal broth for dinner. If it were winter, they would have had cabbage--before Shrove-Tuesday white cabbage--after Shrove-Tuesday, green cabbage! That is as fixed as Thursday's having to come when Wednesday has pa.s.sed, so that it cannot say to Friday: You go in my place--my feet are sore!

SCENE VIII

_Enter, CLARA._

CARL.

At last!--You should not kiss so much! Whenever four red lips meet a bridge for the devil is built!--What have you there?

CLARA.

Where? What?

CARL.

Where? What?--In your hand!

CLARA.

Nothing!

CARL.

Nothing? Is it a secret?

[_He s.n.a.t.c.hes LEONARD'S letter._]

Give me that! When the father is not here the brother is guardian!

CLARA.

I held fast to the sc.r.a.p of paper, and yet the evening wind is so strong that it blows the tiles off the roofs. As I was pa.s.sing the church one fell right in front of me, so that my foot struck against it. Oh, G.o.d! I thought--one more! And I stood still. That would have been fine; they would have buried me and said: "She met with an accident!"--But I waited in vain for the second.

CARL (_has read the letter_).

Thunder and--I'll lame the hand that wrote that!--Bring me a bottle of wine! Or is your savings box empty?

CLARA.

There is one more in the house. I had bought it secretly for mother's birthday and put it aside. Tomorrow would have been the day--[_She turns away._]

CARL.

Give it to me!

CLARA (_brings the wine_).

CARL (_drinks quickly_).