The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann Volume Ii Part 62

[_Who has. .h.i.therto been reading, with apparent absorption, in his New Testament, now closes the book and arises._] Come, father, let's go to work.

HAHN

That takes it out o' you more than pastin' prayer books together or stirrin' the paste in your pot!

HEINZEL

And how do you think he'll feel after the weddin'? A girl like Rosie--she makes demands!

[_Laughter._

STRECKMANN

[_Also laughing._] Gee ...! I almost said somethin' I oughtn't to!--[_He steps back among the people._] I'll give you a riddle to guess. Shall I?

Still waters run deep! 'Tis bad. You mustn't taste blood--no, no! The thirst only gets worse an' worse--that's all.

OLD MRS. GOLISCH

What's that? Where did you get the taste o' blood?

BERND

I suppose he means the taste for whisky!

STRECKMANN

I'm goin' my way! Good-bye! I'm a good feller! Good-bye, father Bernd!

Good-bye, August! Good-bye, Rosie! [_To AUGUST._] What's wrong?--August, don't be showin' off. 'Tis all well! I'm willin'! You'll not see me again! But you--you've got reason enough to be grateful to me. You've always been an underhanded kind o' crittur! But I've given my consent to let things be! I've given my consent an' everything can go smoothly.

[_STRECKMANN goes._

ROSE

[_With violent energy._] Let him talk, August; pay no attention to him.

KLEINERT

Flamm is comin'! [_He looks at his watch._] 'Tis over half an hour!

[_The whistle of the engine is heard._

HAHN

[_During the general stir._] Forward, Prussians! It's misery whistlin'

for us!

_The workingmen and the maids disappear swiftly with their scythes.

ROSE, OLD BERND and AUGUST remain alone on the scene._

BERND

All the evil on earth seems broken loose here' What's all that Streckmann is sayin'? Tell me, Rose, do you understand it?

ROSE

No, an' I've got better things to be thinkin' of! [_She gives AUGUST a friendly nudge on the head._] Isn't it so, August? We have no time for nonsense! We have to hurry these comin' six weeks.

[_She gathers up the remnants of the meal in her basket._

AUGUST

Come over to us a bit later.

ROSE

I must wash and iron and sew b.u.t.tonholes. 'Tis almost time now.

BERND

We'll be comin' to our supper after seven.

[_Exit._

AUGUST

[_Before he goes, earnestly:_] Do you care for me, Rosie?

ROSE

Yes, I do care for you.

_AUGUST disappears and ROSE is left alone. The hum of the thres.h.i.+ng machine is heard as well as the muttering of thunder on the horizon.

After ROSE has replaced bread, b.u.t.ter, the coffee pots and cups into her basket, she straightens herself up and seems to become aware of something in the distance which attracts her and holds her captive.

With sudden, determination, she s.n.a.t.c.hes up the head kerchief that has fallen to the ground and hurries off. Before she has disappeared from view, however, FLAMM becomes visible on the scene and calls to her._

FLAMM

Rose! Wait there! Confound it all! [_Rose stands still with her face turned away._] You are to give me a drink! I suppose I'm worth a draught of water.

ROSE

There's plenty of water here.

FLAMM

I see. I'm not blind. But I don't care to drink like the beasts. Have you no cups in your basket? [_ROSE pushes the cover of her basket aside._]

Well, then! You even have a cup of Bunzlauer ware! I like to drink out of that best of all. [_She hands him the cup, still with averted face._] I beg your pardon. You might practise a little politeness! I suppose you'll have to force yourself to it this one more time. [_ROSE walks over to the spring, rinses the cup, fills it with water, sets it down next to the spring and then returns to her basket. She picks the latter up and waits with her back to FLAMM._] No, Rosie--that won't do at all. You might get rid of some gaol bird in that fas.h.i.+on. I don't know the habits of such persons very exactly. As things are, I'm still the magistrate Flamm. Am I going to get a drink or am I not? Well: One ... two ... three ... and ...

there's an end to this, I' beg for some decency! No more nonsense! [_ROSE has returned to the spring, has picked up the cup and now holds it out to FLAMM, still refusing to look at him._] So! Higher, though, a little higher! I can't get at it yet!