Contemporary One-Act Plays Part 91

THE PRINCESS. Ah, ton medecin! Toujours cette corvee. Et si je te dis----

FRAU V. BROOK. Chut! My dear woman, wouldn't it be best for you to superintend the preparations?

FRAU LINDEMANN. I am entirely at your service.

[_About to go out, left._

FRAU V. BROOK. One thing more. This veranda, leading from the house to the grounds--would it be possible to close it to the public?

FRAU LINDEMANN. Oh, certainly. The guests as often as not sit out under the trees.

FRAU V. BROOK. Very well, then do so, please. [FRAU LINDEMANN _locks the door_.] We may be a.s.sured that no one will enter this place?

FRAU LINDEMANN. If it is desired, none of us belonging to the house will come in here either.

FRAU V. BROOK. We should like that.

FRAU LINDEMANN. Very well. [_Exit._

FRAU V. BROOK. Really, you must be more careful, darling. If that woman had understood French--{s.p.a.cE}You must be careful!

THE PRINCESS. What would have been so dreadful about it?

FRAU V. BROOK. Oh, my dear child! This mood of yours, which is due to nothing but your illness--that reminds me, you haven't taken your peptonized milk yet--this is a secret which we must keep from every one, above all from your fiance. If the Grand Duke should discover----

THE PRINCESS. [_Shrugging her shoulders._] Well, what of it?

FRAU V. BROOK. A bride's duty is to be a happy bride. Otherwise----

THE PRINCESS. Otherwise?

FRAU V. BROOK. She will be a lonely and an unloved woman.

THE PRINCESS. [_With a little smile of resignation._] Ah!

FRAU V. BROOK. What is it, dear? [THE PRINCESS _shakes her head_.] And then think of the strain of those formal presentations awaiting you in the autumn! You must grow strong. Remember that you must be equal to the most exacting demands of life.

THE PRINCESS. Of life? Whose life?

FRAU V. BROOK. What do you mean by that?

THE PRINCESS. Ah, what good does it do to talk about it?

FRAU V. BROOK. Yes, you are right. In my soul, too, there are unhappy and unholy thoughts that I would rather not utter. From my own experience I know that it is best to keep strictly within the narrow path of duty.

THE PRINCESS. And to go to sleep.

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, some-time.

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?