The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann Volume I Part 155

_The court-room of JUSTICE VON WEHRHAHN. A large, white-washed room level with the ground. The main door is in the left wall. Along the wall to the right is the large official table covered with books, doc.u.ments, etc. Behind it stands the chair of the justice. By the middle window, small table and chair for the clerk of the court. In the foreground, right, a book case of soft wood, and on the left wall, shelves for doc.u.ments and records. A small door in the background. Several chairs._

_GLASENAPP sits at his small table. The JUSTICE'S chair is unoccupied._

_In front of the official table DR. BOXER, LANGHEINRICH in his uniform of a captain of the fire brigade, EDE and THREE FIREMEN are waiting. They are engaged in a rather excited conversation. All are red with heat, stained with mud, wet and sooty._

_MRS. SCHULZE, somewhat pale, is resting in a chair and waiting likewise. She is in a very thoughtful mood. Repeatedly she takes off her headkerchief and puts it on again and arranges her grey hair._

_The action takes place on the same day as that of the first act, five hours later._

_The conversation suddenly ceases._

_JUSTICE VON WEHRHAHN enters betraying a high degree of official zeal. He covers his left eye with his left hand as though in pain, sits down behind the table, takes his hand from his eye, which twitches painfully, and begins._

WEHRHAHN

Well, what's the result of this wretched mess?

LANGHEINRICH

[_Noticeably stimulated by exertion, whiskey and beer._] I've come to announce, Baron, that the whole business is burned down.

WEHRHAHN

[_Throwing down on the table an object which he has brought with him. It is seen to be a photograph in a frame of deer feet._] That's because you're all only half awake! You're all made that way. Yon drowse around and do nothing. We're not three miles distant from Berlin; our entire activity should have a different air!

EDE

[_Softly to DR. BOXER._] The fire did have air enough, eh?

LANGHEINRICH

Your honour....

WEHRHAHN

Never mind. I know all about it.

[_He pulls out his handkerchief, wipes the perspiration from his forehead and taps his eye._

LANGHEINRICH

Your honour, I'd like to lay claim, humbly, to some credit ... We did our part honestly. We was on the spot with the engine.

WEHRHAHN

Then get a better engine!

LANGHEINRICH

But if you can't get no water!

WEHRHAHN

You managed to get plenty of beer.

LANGHEINRICH

EDE

Puttin' out a fire makes you thirsty!

WEHRHAHN

That seems undoubtedly to have been the case.--Glasenapp, will you come and look? Something flew into my eye. [_GLASENAPP jumps up and investigates._] I had just examined Mrs. Schulze when the north gable caved in. It must have been a spark or something like that.--By the way, hasn't Mrs. Schulze been here?

MRS. SCHULZE

Here I is.

GLASENAPP

Yes, Baron.

_WEHRHAHN motions him away. GLASENAPP steps back and goes over to his table._

WEHRHAHN

To proceed, then. It has come to my ears ... Mrs. Schulze has informed me, that a certain incident took place in front of your smithy.--It seems that you saw that worthless boy immediately before the flame rose and that he had a box of matches. How is it now with this story of the matches? Tell us what you know!

LANGHEINRICH

He had a box o' matches. That's so.

WEHRHAHN

And he let it fall.

EDE

An' I picked it up. Yessir.

WEHRHAHN

You?

EDE