The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann Volume Ii Part 29

_FABIG enters, the cord of his pack around his shoulders. He sits down modestly in a corner._

GEORGE

Well, there you are; that's what I'm tellin' you! There's pretty few that could come up to me that way. But a man has to be on the lookout, or he'd get a good beatin' an' that's all!

WERMELSKIRCH

Well, you're not through with it yet yourself. [_SIEBENHAAR enters from the left._] Where Henschel strikes down the gra.s.s stops growing. Your servant, Mr. Siebenhaar!

SIEBENHAAR

[_Somewhat pale._] Good morning!

GEORGE

I think I'll play a game o' billiards.

[_He takes up his gla.s.s and disappears behind the curtain in the rear._

SIEBENHAAR

[_Sitting down at a table near the piano._] Weren't you just singing, Mr.

Wermelskirch? Don't let me interrupt you, please.

WERMELSKIRCH

What? I? Singing? That's hardly possible! You know how deeply this business affects me. But if you say so it must be true. Permit me to sit down by you. Bring me a gla.s.s of beer, too, Franziska!

SIEBENHAAR

When one considers that you were completely hoa.r.s.e three or four years ago, you must admit that you've recuperated remarkably.

WERMELSKIRCH

You're quite right. But what good does it do me? I've half way crawled out of the slough. But who knows what'll happen now?

FRANZISKA

[_Places a gla.s.s of beer before SIEBENHAAR; to WERMELSKIRCH:_] I'll bring yours at once.

SIEBENHAAR

[_Having drunk._] What do you mean by that, exactly?

WERMELSKIRCH

I don't know that I can tell you very exactly what I do mean. But I feel something in my bones. I believe there'll be a change in the weather.

Jesting aside--I have all kinds of omens that are familiar to an old actor. When the waters here began to do me so much good, I knew certainly that ten horses couldn't drag me away. And it wasn't a month before my road company had gone to smash. Now I suppose I'll have to wander on in the same old way again--who knows whither?

SIEBENHAAR

Who knows whither? That's the way of the world. As for me--I'm not sorry!

WERMELSKIRCH

Ah, but you're a man in the prime of life. The world has a place for a man like you everywhere. It's different with an old fellow like me. If I lose my means of making a living, I mean, if I'm given notice, what is there left me, I'd like to know? I might actually get me a hurdy-gurdy and Franziska could go about and collect the pennies.

FRANZISKA

That wouldn't embarra.s.s me a bit, papa!

WERMELSKIRCH

Not if it were to rain gold pieces!

FRANZISKA

And, anyhow, papa, how you always talk! You could go back on the stage!

WERMELSKIRCH

Not even at a monkey-show, girlie!

SIEBENHAAR

Did Mr. Exner intimate anything to you? According to what he told me he meant to leave everything pretty much as it is.

WERMELSKIRCH

Well, I hardly belong to what could be summed up as "everything."

MRS. WERMELSKIRCH

[_Approaching the table in great excitement._] I must say, Mr.

Siebenhaar, I must say ... And you can take my word for it! I'm an old woman of fifty and I've seen a good deal of the world, but the way we've been treated here--that's really--I don't know what to call it--but it's just vulgar malice, the lowest kind of scheming, pure meanness. You can take my word for that!

WERMELSKIRCH

Oh, mother, are you starting in too? You'd better withdraw, if you don't mind, and retire behind your barricade!

MRS. WERMELSKIRCH

I'd like to know what our little f.a.n.n.y did to that woman!

FRANZISKA

Oh, never mind, mama!

MRS. WERMELSKIRCH