The Lonely Way-Intermezzo-Countess Mizzie Part 43

SALA

There is no question of payment in this. Your son has a mind for essentials, Julian. You have said so yourself. And he feels that to have done nothing for a man but to put him into the world, is to have done very little indeed.

JULIAN

Then, at least, everything must become as it was before he knew anything at all. Once more I shall become to him a human being like anybody else. Then he will not dare to leave me.... I cannot bear it.

How have I deserved that he should run away from me?... And even if all that I have held for good and true within myself--even if, in the end, my very fondness for this young man, who is my son--should prove nothing but self-delusion--yet I love him now.... Do you understand me, Sala? I love him, and all I ask is that he may believe it before I must lose him forever....

[_It grows dark. The two men pa.s.s across the terrace and enter the drawing-room. The stage stands empty a little while. In the meantime the wind has risen somewhat. Johanna enters by the avenue of trees from the right and goes past the pool toward the terrace. The windows of the drawing-room are illumined. Sala has seated himself at a table. The valet enters the room and serves him a gla.s.s of wine. Johanna stops.

She is apparently much excited. Then she ascends two of the steps to the terrace. Sala seems to hear a noise and turns his head slightly.

When she sees this, Johanna hurries down again and stops beside the pool. There she stands looking down into the water._

CURTAIN

THE FIFTH ACT

_The garden at the Wegrats'._

REUMANN (_sits at a small table and writes something in his notebook_)

JULIAN (_enters quickly by way of the veranda_)

Is it true, Doctor?

REUMANN (_rising_)

Yes, it's true.

JULIAN

She has disappeared?

REUMANN

Yes, she has disappeared. She has been gone since yesterday afternoon.

She has left no word behind, and she has taken nothing at all with her--she has simply gone away and never returned.

JULIAN

But what can have happened to her?

REUMANN

We have not been able to guess even. Perhaps she has lost her way and will come back. Or she has suddenly made up her mind--if we only knew to what!

JULIAN

Where are the others?

REUMANN

We agreed to meet here again at ten. I visited the various hospitals and other places where it might be possible to find some trace.... I suppose the professor has made a report to the police by this time.

FELIX (_enters quickly_)

Nothing new?

REUMANN

Nothing.

JULIAN (_shakes hands with Felix_)

REUMANN

From where do you come?

FELIX

I went to see Mr. von Sala.

REUMANN

Why?

FELIX

I thought it rather possible that he might have a suspicion, or be able to give us some kind of direction. But he knows nothing at all. That was perfectly clear. And if he had known anything--had known anything definite--he would have told me. I am sure of that. He was still in bed when I called on him. I suppose he thought I had come about my own matter. When he heard that Johanna had disappeared, he turned very pale.... But he doesn't know anything.

WEGRAT (_enters_)

Anything?

[_All the others shake their heads. Julian presses his hand._

WEGRAT (_sitting down_)

They asked me to give more details, something more tangible to go by.

But what is there to give?... I have nothing.... The whole thing is a riddle to me. (_Turning to Julian_) In the afternoon she went out for a short walk as usual.... (_To Felix_) Was there anything about her that attracted attention?... It seems quite impossible to me that she could have had anything in mind when she left the house--that she could know already--that she was going away forever.

FELIX

Perhaps though....