Erdgeist (Earth-Spirit) Part 9

LULU. (Raising her left arm, to Schwarz.) Would you hook me up here? My hand trembles.

CURTAIN

ACT II

_A very ornamental parlor. Entrance-door rear, left. Curtained entrances right and left, steps leading up to the right one. On the back wall over the fire-place, Lulu's picture as Pierrot in a magnificent frame. Right, a tall mirror; a couch in front of it. Left, an ebony writing-table. Centre, a few chairs around a little Chinese table._

_Lulu stands motionless before the mirror, in a green silk morning-dress. She frowns, pa.s.ses a hand over her forehead, feels her cheeks, and draws back from the mirror with a discouraged, almost angry, look. Frequently turning round, she goes left, opens a casket on the writing-table, lights herself a cigarette, looks for a book among those that are lying on the table, takes one, and lies down on the couch opposite the mirror. After reading a moment, she lets the book sink, and nods seriously to herself in the gla.s.s; then resumes reading.

Schwarz enters, left, palette and brushes in hand, and bends over Lulu, kisses her on the forehead, and goes up the steps, right._

SCHWARZ. (Turning in the door-way.) Eve!

LULU. (Smiling.) At your orders?

SCHWARZ. Seems to me you look extra charming to-day.

LULU. (With a glance at the mirror.) Depends on what you expect.

SCHWARZ. Your hair breathes out a morning freshness....

LULU. I've just come out of the water.

SCHWARZ. (Approaching her.) I've an awful lot to do to-day.

LULU. That's what you say to yourself.

SCHWARZ. (Lays his palette and brushes down on the carpet, and sits on the edge of the couch.) What are you reading?

LULU. (Reads.) "Suddenly she heard an anchor of refuge come nodding up the stairs."

SCHWARZ. Who under the sun writes so absorbingly?

LULU. (Reading.) "It was the postman with a money-order." (Henriette, the servant, comes in, upper left, with a hat-box on her arm and a little tray of letters which she puts on the table.)

HENRIETTE. The mail. I'm going to take your hat to the milliner, madam.

Anything else?

LULU. No. (Schwarz signs to her to go out, which she does, slyly smiling.)

SCHWARZ. What was it you dreamt all last night?

LULU. You've asked me that twice already, to-day.

SCHWARZ. (Rises, takes up the letters.) I tremble for news. Every day I fear the world may go to pieces. (Giving Lulu a letter.) For you.

LULU. (Sniffs at the paper.) Madame Corticelli. (Hides it in her bosom.)

SCHWARZ. (Skimming a letter.) My Samaqueca-dancer sold--for fifty thousand marks!

LULU. Who says that?

SCHWARZ. Sedelmeier in Paris. That's the third picture since our marriage. I hardly know how to save myself from my luck!

LULU. (Pointing to the letters.) There are more there.

SCHWARZ. (Opening an engagement announcement.) See. (Gives it to Lulu.)

LULU. (Reads.) Sir Henry von Zarnikow has the honor to announce the engagement of his daughter, Charlotte Marie Adelaide, to Doctor Ludwig Schon.

SCHWARZ. (As he opens another letter.) At last! He's been an eternal while evading a public engagement. I can't understand it--a man of his standing and influence. What can be in the way of his marriage?

LULU. What is that that you're reading?

SCHWARZ. An invitation to take part in the international exhibition at St. Petersburg. I have no idea what to paint for it.

LULU. Some entrancing girl or other, of course.

SCHWARZ. Will you be willing to pose for it?

LULU. G.o.d knows there are other pretty girls enough in existence!

SCHWARZ. But with any other model--tho she be as racy as h.e.l.l--I can't get such a full display of my powers.

LULU. Then I must, I suppose. Wouldn't it go as well lying down?

SCHWARZ. Really, I'd liefest have your taste arrange it for me.

(Folding up the letters.) Don't let's forget to congratulate Schon to-day, anyway. (Goes left and shuts the letters in the writing-table.)

LULU. But we did that a long time ago.

SCHWARZ. For his bride's sake.

LULU. You can write to him again if you want.

SCHWARZ. And now to work! (Takes up his brushes and palette, kisses Lulu, goes up the steps, right, and turns around in the door-way.) Eve!

LULU. (Lets her book sink, smiling.) Your pleasure?

SCHWARZ. (Approaching her.) I feel every day as if I were seeing you for the very first time.

LULU. You're a terror.

SCHWARZ. The fault is yours. (He sinks on his knees by the couch and caresses her hand.)

LULU. (Stroking his hair.) You're =wasting= me.