The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann - novelonlinefull.com
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If I were to drink I should only grow more tiresome.
HELEN
That is most interesting, Doctor.
LOTH
[_Untactfully._] That I grow even more tiresome when I drink wine?
HELEN
[_Somewhat taken aback._] No, oh, no. But that you do not drink ... do not drink at all, I mean.
LOTH
And why is that particularly interesting?
HELEN
[_Blushing._] It is not the usual thing.
[_She grows redder and more embarra.s.sed._
LOTH
[_Clumsily._] You are quite right, unhappily.
MRS. KRAUSE
[_To LOTH._] It costs us fifteen shillin's a bottle. You needn't be scared to drink it. We gets it straight from Rheims; we ain't givin' you nothin' cheap; we wouldn't want it ourselves.
MRS. SPILLER
Ah, you can believe--m-me, Doctor: if his Excellency, the Minister von Schadendorf, had been able to keep _such_ a table ...
KAHL
I couldn't live without my wine.
HELEN
[_To LOTH._] Do tell us why you don't drink?
LOTH
I'll do that very gladly, I ...
HOFFMANN
Oh, pshaw, old fellow. [_He takes the bottle from the servant in order to press the wine upon LOTH._] Just think how many merry hours we used to spend in the old days ...
LOTH
Please don't take the trouble ...
HOFFMANN
Drink to-day--this one time.
LOTH
It's quite useless.
HOFFMANN
As a special favour to me.
[_HOFFMANN is about to pour the wine; LOTH resists. A slight conflict ensues._
LOTH
No, no ... as I said before ... No!... no, thank you.
HOFFMANN
Don't be offended, but that, surely, is a mere foolish whim.
KAHL
[_To MRS. SPILLER._] A man that don't want nothin' has had enough.
[_MRS. SPILLER nods resignedly._
HOFFMANN
Anyhow, if you let a man have his will what more can you do for him. But I can tell you this much: without a gla.s.s of wine at dinner ...
LOTH
And a gla.s.s of beer at breakfast ...
HOFFMANN
Very well; why not? A gla.s.s of beer is a very healthy thing.
LOTH
And a nip of brandy now and then ...
