The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann Volume I Part 162

RAUCHHAUPT

Your honour, I'll take my oath o' office, that's what I'll take, that my boy here is innercent!

WEHRHAHN

_Tempi pa.s.sati_. You're getting yourself into trouble. For the last time: Hands off!

RAUCHHAUPT

Then I'd rather kill him right here on the spot, your honour!

WEHRHAHN

[_Steps between and separates RAUCHHAUPT from his son._] Move' on! You're not to touch the boy! If you dare the constable will draw his sabre!

RAUCHHAUPT

[_White as chalk, half maddened with excitement, has loosened his hold on GUSTAV and plants himself in front of the main door._] Don't do that to me, your honour, for G.o.d's sake, for Christ's sake--don't! That's a point o' honour with me--a point o' honour! Anythin' exceptin' that! I'll go instead. I c'n furnish bail. I'll run an' get bail. I c'n get back here right away! Eh? C'n I? Or can't that be done now?

WEHRHAHN

Stuff and nonsense. Move out of the way!

RAUCHHAUPT

I knows who it was that did it!

_WEHRHAHN thrusts RAUCHHAUPT aside and the two officers conduct GUSTAV out. DR. BOXER and LANGHEINRICH support and restrain RAUCHHAUPT at the same time. He falls into a state of dull collapse.

Silence ensues. Without saying a word WEHRHAHN returns to his table, blows his nose, glances swiftly at RAUCHHAUPT and MRS. FIELITZ and sits down._

WEHRHAHN

Let us have some light, Glasenapp.

_GLASENAPP lights a lamp on the table._

MRS. FIELITZ

No, no, I tell you; it's bad, bad! A man like that! He goes an' accuses everybody in the whole place.

WEHRHAHN

You! Mrs. Schulze! You can go your ways!

_MRS. SCHULZE withdraws rapidly._

MRS. FIELITZ

I'd like to ax your honour ... we don't even know where we're goin' to sleep to-night.

WEHRHAHN

Are you asleep now, Fielitz?

FIELITZ

[_Frightened from the contemplation of his clock._] Not me, your honour!

WEHRHAHN

I thought you were because your head drooped so.

FIELITZ

[_With childish bashfulness._] I was just lookin' at the hands.

WEHRHAHN

[_To MRS. FIELITZ._] You want to go?

MRS. FIELITZ

If it's maybe possible ... I can't hardly stand on them two legs o' mine no more.

WEHRHAHN

I believe that. When did you get up this morning?

MRS. FIELITZ

FIELITZ

We both got up around eight o'clock.

WEHRHAHN

Do you always get up so late?

MRS. FIELITZ

Sure not! That there man is confused to-day in his mind. We got up at five. We always get up at five!

WEHRHAHN

Well, Mrs. Fielitz, you go on home now.--I should be mighty sorry in some respects ... However, justice goes its way. Murder will out. Criminals come to a fearful end! The eternal Judge doesn't forget. And--you [_To RAUCHHAUPT._] might as well go home. Go home and wait to see how things turn out. I'll let things go this time. Your paternal feeling robbed you of your senses.