Chapter 8

_He crosses the yard and disappears between the house and the stables. HOFFMANN and HELEN come from the house. HELEN is pale and carries an empty glass in her hand._

HOFFMANN

[_To HELEN._] Entertain him a bit! You understand? Don't let him go. I should hate to have him.--Injured vanity like that!... Good-bye!... Oh, maybe I oughtn't to go at all? How is Martha doing?--I've got a queer kind of feeling as if pretty soon.... Nonsense!--Good-bye! ... awful hurry!... [_Calls out._] Franz! Give the horses their heads!

[_Leaves rapidly through the main gate._

_HELEN goes to the pump, fills her glass and empties it at one draught. She empties half of another glass. She then sets the glass on the pump and then strolls slowly, looking backward from time to time, through the gate-may. BAER emerges from between the house and the stables and stops with his waggon before the house door, where MIELE takes some sand from him. In the meantime KAHL has become visible at the right, beyond the dividing fence. He is in conversation with MRS. SPILLER, who is on the hither side of the fence and therefore close to the entrance of the yard. As the conversation proceeds, both walk slowly along the fence._

MRS. SPILLER

[_Mildly agonised._] Ah yes--m--Mr. Kahl! I have--m--many a time thought of--m--you when ... when our--m--dear Miss Helen ... She is so to--m--speak betrothed to you and so--m--ah! I--m--must say ... in my time...!

KAHL

[_Mounts a rustic bench under the oak-tree and fastens a bird trap to the lowest branch._] When is th-that b-beast of a doctor goin' to git out o' here? Ha?

MRS. SPILLER

Ah, Mr. Kahl! I don't--m--think so very soon.--Ah, Mr. Kahl, I--m--have, so to speak, come--m--down in the world, but I--m--know--m--what refinement is. In this respect, Mr. Kahl, I--must say--dear Miss Helen isn't--m--acting quite right toward you. No--m--in that respect, so to speak--m--I've never had anything with which to--m--reproach myself--m--my conscience, dear Mr. Kahl, is as pure in that--m--respect--so to speak, as new-fallen snow.

_BAER has finished the sale of his sand and, at this moment, passes by KAHL in order to leave the yard._

KAHL

[_Discovers BAER and calls out._] Heres hopping Baer! Hop a bit!

_BAER takes a, huge leap._

KAHL

[_Bellowing with laughter._] Here, hopping Baer! Hop again!

MRS. SPILLER

Well--m--Mr. Kahl, what I want to say is--m--I have the best--m--intentions toward you. You ought to observe very--m--carefully. Something--m--is going on between our young lady and--m--

KAHL

If I could j-jist git my d-dogs on that son of a--... Jist once!

MRS. SPILLER

[_Mysteriously._] And I'm afraid you--m--don't know what kind of an individual that--m--is. Oh, I am so--m--truly sorry for our dear young lady. The wife of the bailiff--she has it straight from the office, I think. He is said to be a--m--really dangerous person. The woman said her husband had--m--orders, just think! actually--m--to keep his eye on him.

_LOTH comes from the house and looks about._

MRS. SPILLER

You see, now he is going--m--after our young lady. Oh, it's _too_ sad--m--for anything.

KAHL

Aw! You wait an' see!

[_Exit._

_MRS. SPILLER goes to the door of the house. In passing LOTH she makes a deep bow. Then she disappears into the house._

_LOTH disappears slowly through the gateway. The coachman's wife, an emaciated, worried, starved woman, emerges from between the house and the stables. She carries a large pot hidden under her apron and slinks off toward the cow-shed, looking about fearfully at every moment. She disappears into the door of the stable. The two MAIDS, each before her a wheel-barrow laden with clover, enter by the gate. BEIPST, his pipe in his mouth and his scythe across his shoulder, follows them, LIESE has wheeled her barrow in front of the left, AUGUSTE hers in front of the right door of the barn, and both begin to carry great armfuls of clover into the building._

LIESE

[_Coming back out of the stable._] Guste! D'ye know, Marie is gone.

AUGUSTE

Aw, don' tell me!

LIESE

Go in there'n ask the coachman's wife. She's gittin' her a drop o' milk.

BEIPST

[_Hangs up his scythe on the wall._] Ye'd better not let that Spiller creature get wind o' it.

AUGUSTE

Oh, Lord, no! Who'd think o' it!

LIESE

A poor woman like that with eight--

AUGUSTE

Eight little brats. They wants to be fed!

LIESE

An' they wouldn't give her a drop o' milk even. It's low, that's what I calls it.

AUGUSTE

Where is she milkin'?

LIESE

Way back there.

BEIPST

[_Fills his pipe. Holding his tobacco-pouch with his teeth he mumbles._] Ye say Marie's gone?

LIESE

Yes, it's true an' certain. The parson's hired man slept with her.

BEIPST

[_Replacing the tobacco-pouch in his pocket._] Everybody feels that way sometimes--even a woman. [_He lights his pipe and disappears through the gateway. In going:_] I'm goin' fer a bit o' breakfast.

THE COACHMAN'S WIFE

[_Hiding the pot full of milk carefully under her apron, sticks her head out of the stable door._] Anybody in sight?

LIESE

Ye c'n come if ye'll hurry. There ain't nobody. Come! Hurry!

THE COACHMAN'S WIFE

[_Passing by the maids._] It's fer the nursin' baby.

LIESE

[_Calling out after her._] Hurry! Some one's comin'.

_THE COACHMAN'S WIFE disappears between the house and the stable._

AUGUSTE

It's only the young Miss.

_The maids now finish unloading their wheelbarrows and then thrust them under the doorway. They both go into the cow-shed._

_HELEN and LOTH enter by the gate._

LOTH

A disgusting fellow--this Kahl--an insolent sneak.

HELEN

I think in the arbour in front--[_They pass through the small gate into the little garden by the house and into the arbour._] It's my favourite place, I'm less disturbed there than anywhere if, sometimes, I want to read something.

LOTH

It's a pretty place.--Really. [_Both sit down in the arbour, consciously keeping at some distance from one another. An interval of silence. Then LOTH._] You have very beautiful and abundant hair.

HELEN

Yes, my brother-in-law says so too. He thought he had scarcely seen anyone with so much--not even in the city ... The braid at the top is as thick as my wrist ... When I let it down, it reaches to my knees. Feel it. It's like silk, isn't it?

LOTH

It is like silk.

[_A tremour passes through him. He bends down and kisses her hair._

HELEN

[_Frightened._] Ah, don't. If ...

LOTH

Helen! Were you in earnest a while ago?

HELEN

Oh, I am so ashamed--so deeply ashamed. What have I done? Why, I've thrown myself at you. That's what I've done. I wonder what you take me for?

LOTH

[_Draws nearer to her and takes her hand in his._] Ah, you mustn't let _that_ trouble you.

HELEN

[_Sighing._] Oh, if Sister Schmittgen knew of that--I dare not imagine it.

LOTH

Who is Sister Schmittgen?

HELEN

One of my teachers at boarding-school.

LOTH

How can you worry about Sister Schmittgen!

HELEN

She was very good.

[_Laughing heartily to herself suddenly._

LOTH

Why do you laugh all at once?

HELEN

[_Half between respect and jest._] Oh, when she stood in the choir and sang--she had only one long tooth left--then she was supposed to sing: "Trouble yourselves not, my people!"--and it always sounded like: "'Rouble, 'rouble yourselves not, my people!" It was too funny. And we always had to laugh so ... when it sounded through the chapel: "'Rouble, 'rouble!" [_She laughs more and more heartily. LOTH becomes infected by her mirth. She seems so sweet to him at this moment that he wants to take the opportunity to put his arms about her. HELEN wards him off._] An, no! no! Just think! I threw myself at you!

LOTH

Oh, don't say such things!

HELEN

But it isn't my fault; you have only yourself to blame for it. Why do you demand ...

_LOTH puts his arm about her once more and draws her closer to him. At first she resists a little, then she yields and gazes, with frank blessedness, into the joyous face of LOTH which bends above her. Involuntarily, in the awkwardness of her very timidity, she kisses his mouth. Both grow red; then LOTH returns her kiss. His caress is long and heartfelt. A giving and taking of kisses--silent and eloquent at once--is, for a time, all that passes between them. LOTH is the first to speak._

LOTH

Nellie, dearest! Nellie is your name, isn't it?

HELEN

[_Kisses him._] Call me something else ... call me what you like best ...

LOTH

Dearest!...

_The exchange of kisses and of mutual contemplation is repeated._

HELEN

[_Held tight in LOTH'S arms, resting her head on his shoulder, looking up at him with dim, happy eyes, whispers ecstatically._] Oh, how beautiful! How beautiful!

LOTH

To die with you--thus ...

HELEN

[_Passionately._] To live!... [_She disengages herself from his embrace._] Why die now?... now ...

LOTH

Yon must not misunderstand me. Always, in happy moments, it has come over me with a sense of intoxication--the consciousness of the fact that it is in our power, in my power, to embrace--you understand?

HELEN

To embrace death, if you desired it?

LOTH

[_Quite devoid of sentimentality._] Yes! And the thought of death has nothing horrible in it for me. On the contrary, it seems like the thought of a friend. One calls and knows surely that death will come. And so one can rise above so many, many things--above one's past, above one's future fate ... [_Looking at HELEN'S hand._] What a lovely hand you have.

[_He caresses it._

HELEN

Ah, yes!--so!...

[_She nestles anew in his arms._

LOTH

No, do you know, I haven't really lived--until now!

HELEN

Do you think I have?... And I feel faint--faint with happiness. Dear God, how suddenly it all came ...

LOTH

Yes, it came all at once ...

HELEN

Listen, I feel this way: all the days of my life are like one day; but yesterday and to-day are like a year--a whole year!

LOTH

Didn't I come till yesterday?

HELEN

Of course not! Naturally! That's just it!... Oh, and you don't even know it!

LOTH

And surely it seems to me ...

HELEN

Doesn't it? Like a whole, long year! Doesn't it? [_Half jumping up._] Wait...! Don't you hear ... [_They move away from each other._] Oh, but I don't care one bit! I am so full of courage now.

[_She remains seated and invites LOTH with her eyes to move nearer, which he does._

HELEN

[_In LOTH'S arms._] Dear, what are we going to do first?

LOTH

Your step-mother, I suppose, would send me packing.

HELEN

Oh, my step-mother ... that won't matter ... it doesn't even concern her! I do as I please! I have my mother's fortune, you must know.

LOTH

Did you think on that account ...

HELEN

I am of age; father will have to give me my share.

LOTH

You are not, then, on good terms with everyone here?--Where has your father gone to?

HELEN

Gone? You have?... Oh, you haven't seen my father yet?

LOTH

No; Hoffmann told me....

HELEN

Surely, you saw him once.

LOTH

Not that I know of. Where, dearest?

HELEN

I.... [_She bursts into tears._] No, I can't. I can't tell you ... it's too, too fearful!

LOTH

So fearful? But, Helen, is anything wrong with your father?

HELEN

Oh, don't ask me! Not now, at least! Some time...!

LOTH

I will not urge you to tell me anything, dear, that you don't voluntarily speak of. And, look, as far as the money is concerned ... if the worst came ... though I don't exactly earn superfluous cash with my articles--still, in the end, we could both manage to exist on it.

HELEN

And I wouldn't be idle either, would I? But the other way is better. My inheritance Is more than enough.--And there's your life work ... no, you're not to give that up under any circumstances ... now less than ever ...! Now you're to have your real chance to pursue it!

LOTH

[_Kissing her tenderly._] Dearest, best ...

HELEN

Oh, do you truly care...? Truly? Truly?

LOTH

Truly.

HELEN

You must say truly a hundred times.

LOTH

Truly and truly and truthfully.

HELEN

Oh, now, you're not playing fair!

LOTH

I am, though. That truthfully is equal to a hundred trulys.

HELEN

Oh? Is that the custom in Berlin?

LOTH

No, but it is here in Witzdorf.

HELEN

Oh! But now, look at my little finger and don't laugh.

LOTH

Gladly.

HELEN

Did you ever love any one before your first betrothed? Oh, now you _are_ laughing!

LOTH

I will tell you in all seriousness, dearest; indeed, I think it is my duty.... In the course of my life a considerable number of women....

HELEN

[_With a quick and violent start, pressing her hand over his mouth._] For the love of.... Tell me that some day, later, when we are old, when the years have passed, when I shall say to you: "now!" Do you hear! Not before!

LOTH

Just as you will.

HELEN

Rather tell me something sweet now!... Listen: repeat after me:

LOTH

What?

HELEN

I have loved--

LOTH

I have loved--

HELEN

Always you only--

LOTH

Always you only--

HELEN

All the days of my life--

LOTH

All the days of my life--

HELEN

And will love you only as long as I live--

LOTH

And will love you only as long as I live--and that is true so surely as I am an honest man.

HELEN

[_Joyfully._] I didn't add that!

LOTH

But I did.

[_They kiss each other._

HELEN

[_Hums very softly._] "Thou in my heart art lying ..."

LOTH

But now you must confess too.

HELEN

Anything you like.

LOTH

Confess now! Am I the first?

HELEN

No.

LOTH

Who?

HELEN

[_Laughing out in the fullness of her joy._] Willy Kahl!

LOTH

[_Laughing._] Who else?

HELEN

Oh, no, there's no one else really. You must believe me ... Truly there wasn't. Why should I tell you a falsehood?

LOTH

So there _was_ someone else?

HELEN

[_Passionately._] Oh, please, please, please, don't ask me now.

[_She hides her face in her hands and weeps apparently without any reason._

LOTH

But ... but Nellie! I'm not insistent; I don't want to ...

HELEN

Later ... I'll tell you later ... not now!

LOTH

As I said before, dearest.

HELEN

There was some one--I want you to know--whom I ... because ... because among wicked people he seemed the least wicked. Oh, it is so different now. [_Weeping against LOTH'S neck: stormily._] Ah, if I only didn't have to leave you at all any more! Oh, if I could only go away with you right here on the spot!

LOTH

I suppose you have a very unhappy time in the house here?

HELEN

Oh, dear!--It's just frightful--the things that happen here. It's a life like--that ... like that of the beasts of the field--Oh, I would have died without you. I shudder to think of it!

LOTH

I believe it would calm you, dearest, if you would tell me everything quite openly.

HELEN

Yes, to be sure. But I don't think I can bear to. Not now, at least, not yet. And I'm really afraid to.

LOTH

You were at boarding-school, weren't you?

HELEN

My mother decided that I be sent--on her death-bed.

LOTH

Was your sister there with you?

HELEN

No, she was always at home ... And so when, four years ago, I came back from school, I found a father--who ... a step-mother--who ... a sister ... guess, can't you guess what I mean!

LOTH

I suppose your step-mother is quarrelsome? Perhaps jealous? unloving?

HELEN

My father...?

LOTH

Well, in all probability he dances to her music. Perhaps she tyrannises over him?

HELEN

Oh, if it were nothing else?... No! It is too frightful!--You can't possibly guess that _that_ ... my father ... that it was _my_ father whom you ...

LOTH

Don't weep, Nellie!... Look, you almost make me feel as though I ought to insist that you tell ...

HELEN

No, no, it isn't possible. I haven't the strength!--not yet!

LOTH

But you're wearing yourself out this way!

HELEN

But I'm so ashamed, so boundlessly ashamed! Why, you will drive me from you in horror...! It's beyond anything...! It's loathsome!

LOTH

Nellie, dear, you don't know me if you can think such things of me! Repulse you! Drive you from me! Do I seem such a brute to you?

HELEN

My brother-in-law said that you would quite calmly ... But no, no, you wouldn't? Would you?--You wouldn't just ruthlessly walk over me? Oh! you won't! You mustn't! I don't know what _would_ become of me!

LOTH

But, dear, it's senseless to talk so. There's no earthly reason!

HELEN

But if there were a reason, it might happen!

LOTH

No! Not at all!

HELEN

But if you could think of a reason?

LOTH

There are reasons, to be sure; but they're not in question.

HELEN

And what kind of reasons?

LOTH

I would have to be ruthless only toward some one who would make me betray my own most ideal self.

HELEN

And surely, I wouldn't want to do that! And yet I can't rid myself of the feeling--

LOTH

What feeling, dearest?

HELEN

Perhaps it's just because I'm nothing but a silly girl. There's so little to me--Why, I don't even know what it is--to have principles! Isn't that frightful? But I just simply love you so! And you're so good, and so great, and so very wise! I'm so afraid that you might, sometime, discover--when I say something foolish, or do something--that it's all a mistake, that I'm much too silly for you ... I'm really as worthless and as silly as I can be!

LOTH

What shall I say to all that? You're everything to me, just everything in the whole world. I can't say more!

HELEN

And I'm very strong and healthy, too ...

LOTH

Tell me, are your parents in good health?

HELEN

Indeed they are. That is, mother died in childbirth. But father is still well; in fact he must have a very strong constitution. But ...

LOTH

Well, you see. Everything is ...

HELEN

But if my parents were not strong--;

LOTH

[_Kissing HELEN._] But then, they are, dear.

HELEN

But suppose they were not--?

_MRS. KRAUSE pushes open a window in the house and calls out into the yard._

MRS. KRAUSE

Hey! Girls! Gi--rls!

LIESE

[_From within the cow-shed._] Yes, Missis?

MRS. KRAUSE

Run to Mueller's! It's startin'!

LIESE

What! To the midwife, ye mean?

MRS. KRAUSE

Are ye standin' on your ear?

[_She slams the window._

_LIESE runs out of the cow-shed with a little shawl over her head and then out of the yard._

MRS. SPILLER

[_Calls._] Miss Helen! Oh, Miss Helen!

HELEN

What do you suppose is--?

MRS. SPILLER

[_Approaching the arbour._] Miss Helen!

HELEN

Oh, I know. It's my sister who--You must go, 'round that way!

[_LOTH withdraws rapidly by the right foreground. HELEN steps out from the arbour._

MRS. SPILLER

Oh, Miss, there you are at last!

HELEN

What is it?

MRS. SPILLER

Ah--m--your sister.

[_She whispers into HELEN'S ear._

HELEN

My brother-in-law ordered that the doctor be sent for at any sign of--

MRS. SPILLER

Oh--m--dear Miss Helen--m--she doesn't really want a doctor. These doctors--m--oh, these doctors--m--with God's help ...

_MIELE comes from the house._

HELEN

Miele, go at once for Dr. Schimmelpfennig!

MRS. KRAUSE

[_From the window, arrogantly._] Miele! You come up here!

HELEN

[_In a tone of command._] Miele, you go for the doctor! [_MIELE withdraws into the house._] Well, then I must go myself ...

[_She goes into the house and comes back out at once carrying her straw hat._

MRS. SPILLER

It'll go wrong--m--If you call the doctor, dear Miss Helen,--m--it will surely go wrong!

_HELEN passes her by. MRS. SPILLER withdraws into the house, shaking her head. As HELEN turns at the driveway KAHL is standing at the boundary fence._

KAHL

[_Calls out to HELEN._] What's the matter over at your place?

_HELEN does not stop, nor does she deign to notice or answer KAHL._

KAHL

[_Laughing._] I guess ye got a pig killin'?

CURTAIN

THE FIFTH ACT

_The same room, as in the first act. Time: toward two o'clock in the morning. The room is in complete darkness. Through the open middle door light penetrates into it from the illuminated hall. The light also falls clearly upon the wooden stairway that leads to the upper floor. The conversation in this act--with very few exceptions--is carried on in a muffled tone._

_EDWARD enters through the middle door, carrying a light. He lights the hanging lamp (it is a gas lamp) over the corner table. While he is thus employed, LOTH _also enters by the middle door._

EDWARD

O Lord! Such goin's on! It'd take a monster to be able to close a eye here!

LOTH

I didn't even try to sleep. I have been writing.

EDWARD

You don't say! [_He succeeds in lighting the lamp._] There! Well, sure, I guess it's hard enough, too ... Maybe you'd like to have paper and ink, sir?

LOTH

Perhaps that would be ... If you would be so good, then, Mr. Edward?

EDWARD

[_Placing pen and ink on the table._] I'm always thinkin' that any honest fellow has got to get all the work there's in every bone for every dirty penny. You can't even get your rest o' nights. [_More and more confidentially._] But this crew here! They don't do one thing--a lazy, worthless crew, a--... I suppose, sir, that you've got to be at it early and late too, like all honest folks, for your bit o' bread.

LOTH

I wish I didn't have to.

EDWARD

Me too, you betcher.

LOTH

I suppose Miss Helen is with her sister?

EDWARD

Yes, sir, an', honestly, she's a good girl, she is; hasn't budged since it started.

LOTH

[_Looking at his watch._] The pains began at eleven o'clock in the morning. So they've already lasted fifteen hours--fifteen long hours--!

EDWARD

Lord, yes!--And that's what they calls the weaker sex. But she's just barely gaspin'.

LOTH

And is Mr. Hoffmann upstairs, too?

EDWARD

Yes, an' I can tell you, he's goin' on like a woman.

LOTH

Well, I suppose it isn't very easy to have to watch that.

EDWARD

You're right there, indeed. Dr. Schimmelpfennig came just now. There's a man for you: rough as rough can be--but sugar ain't nothing to his real feelings. But just tell me what's become of little, old Berlin in all this ...

[_He interrupts himself with a_ Gee-rusa-lem! _as HOFFMANN and the DOCTOR are seen coming down the stairs._

_HOFFMANN and DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG enter._

HOFFMANN

Surely--you will stay with us from now on.

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

Yes, I suppose I will stay now.

HOFFMANN

That's a very, very great consolation to me.--Will you have a glass of wine? Surely you'll drink a glass of wine, Doctor?

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

If you want to do something for me, have a cup of coffee prepared.

HOFFMANN

With pleasure. Edward! Coffee for the doctor! [_EDWARD withdraws._] Are you...? Are you satisfied with the way things are going?

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

So long as your wife's strength keeps up there is, at all events, no direct danger. But why didn't you call in the young midwife? I remember having recommended her to you.

HOFFMANN

My mother-in-law...! What is one to do? And, to be frank with you, my wife has no confidence in the young woman either.

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

But your ladies place confidence in this old fossil? Well, I hope they'll ... And I suppose you would like to go back upstairs?

HOFFMANN

Yes, honestly, I can't get much rest down here.

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

It would be better undoubtedly if you were to go somewhere--out of the house.

HOFFMANN

With the best will in the world, I--. [_LOTH arises from the sofa in the dim foreground and approaches the two._] Hallo, Loth, there you are too!

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

[_Surprised in the extreme._] Well, I'll be--!

LOTH

I heard that you were here. I would have looked you up to-morrow without fail.

[_They shake hands cordially. HOFFMANN takes the opportunity to mash down a glass of brandy at the side-board and then to creep back upstairs on tiptoe._

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

So you've evidently forgotten--ha, ha, ha--that ridiculous old affair?

[_He lays aside his hat and cane._

LOTH

Long ago, Schimmel!

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

Well, so have I, as you can well imagine. [_They shake hands once more._] I've had so few pleasant surprises in this hole, that this one seems positively queer to me. And it is strange that we should meet just here. It _is_.

LOTH