Chapter 27

Well enough. 'Tis true,--[_she points to her breast_]--somethin's cracked inside o' here. But then! Everybody's gotta get out o' the world sometime. I've lived quite a while!

DR. BOXER

You musn't talk so much! You must keep still longer. [_To RAUCHHAUPT._] I've got an invitation for you. Mr. Schmarowski saw you going in here, and so he stopped me and asked me to say that he'd like to have you come over to the dinner!

MRS. FIELITZ

Rauchhaupt--well, o' course. Why not?

RAUCHHAUPT

An' I won't go givin' nothin' away yet.

MRS. FIELITZ

And you, Doctor?

DR. BOXER

[_Quickly._] Heaven forbid! Not I?

MRS. FIELITZ

An' why not? Do you bear him a grudge about anythin'?

DR. BOXER

I? Bear a grudge? I never do that. But, do you see, I'm a lost man as far as all this is concerned. I don't deny that it amuses me to watch all these doings here, but I can't join in them. I'll never learn to do that.--I will probably go away again, too.

MRS. FIELITZ

An' give up such a good practice?

DR. BOXER

Sea-faring--that gives a man true health. That is the best practice for one, Mrs. Fielitz, who is in some respects so little practical.

MRS. FIELITZ

You ain't very practical, that's true.

DR. BOXER

No, I am not.--Listen, listen, how they're letting themselves go! [_Many voices are heard in enthusiastic shouting._] Great enthusiasm again! In a moment they will raise Schmarowski and carry him on their shoulders. They were about to do it a moment ago. [_A great, confused noise of huzzaing voices floats into the room._] Well, do you see? Isn't that truly uplifting?

LEONTINE

Mother, look, look who the workin'men is raisin' up! The workin'men is raisin' him up!

MRS. FIELITZ

Who?

[_She rises convulsively and stares out._

LEONTINE

Don't you see who it is?

RAUCHHAUPT

Schmarowski.

EDE

That's how it is. I couldn't bear to see that there feller. But now ... well ... he's got some sense an' he's fightin' for sensible ideas--against arbitrary an' police power--now, well, I'll drink to his health, too.

DR. BOXER

Well, of course, Ede, naturally you will!

_FIELITZ enters highly excited._

FIELITZ

Me ... me ... me ... me ... it was me that did it! Go on an' shout, an' shout! It's that there feller that they lifts up! Let 'em. But I don't make no speeches like that! Character, conscience--them's the main things. Yes, it was me as paid an' me as built. But even if Wehrhahn went an' dropped me--I don't let go my sound opinions! There's gotta be order! There's gotta be morality! I'm for the monarchy right down to my marrow! I don't envy him that there triumph!

DR. BOXER

Look here, Fielitz! Come over here to the light, will you? I'd like to examine your eyes.--Don't your pupils move at all?

MRS. FIELITZ

[_Pants swiftly and convulsively, throws her hands high up as if in joy, and cries out half in rapture, half in terror:_] Julius!

LEONTINE

Mama! Mama!

EDE

She's gone to sleep.

LEONTINE

[_Appealing to the DOCTOR._] Mother is swingin' her arms around so!

DR. BOXER

Who? Where? Mrs. Fielitz?

LEONTINE

Look! Look!

EDE

[_Laughing._] Is she tryin' to catch sparrows in the air?

_DR. BOXER has turned from FIELITZ to MRS. FIELITZ._

DR. BOXER

Mrs. Fielitz!

_FIELITZ unconcerned by the events in the room, walks excitedly up and down in the background. RAUCHHAUPT is tensely watching from the window what takes place without._

LEONTINE

What is it? Mother won't answer at all!

RAUCHHAUPT

I believe they're goin' to end by comin' over here!

DR. BOXER

What is it, Mrs. Fielitz? What are you trying to do? Why do you move your hands about in that way?

MRS. FIELITZ

[_Reaching out strangely with both hands._] You reaches ... you reaches ... always this way ...

DR. BOXER

After what?

MRS. FIELITZ

[_As before._] You always reaches out after ... somethin' ...

[_Her arms drop and she falls silent._

LEONTINE

[_To DR. BOXER._] Is she sleepin'?

DR. BOXER

[_Seriously._] Yes, she has fallen asleep. But keep all those people back now.

RAUCHHAUPT

The whole crowd is comin' over here.

DR. BOXER

[_Emphatically._] Keep them back! Ede! Turn them back at once!

_EDE runs out._

LEONTINE

Doctor, what's happened to mother?

DR. BOXER

Your mother has ...

LEONTINE

What, what?

DR. BOXER

[_Significantly._] Has fallen asleep.

LEONTINE'S

[_Face assumes an expression of horror; she is about to shriek. DR. BOXER takes hold of her vigorously and puts his hand over her mouth. She regains a measure of self-control._] But, Doctor, she was talkin' just now...?

DR. BOXER

[_Gently draws LEONTINE forward with his left hand and places his right upon the forehead of the dead woman._] So she was. And from now on she takes her fill of silence.

_In the background FIELITZ, careless of what has happened, regards his eyes sharply and intently in a hand mirror._

THE CURTAIN FALLS