The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Iv Part 35

May the Cook Philip be h.e.l.l's cry of jubilee when an ungrateful wretch is burned to ashes!

PRINCESS.

Where can the musician be!

KING.

To be or not to be--

[_The peacemaker enters with a set of musical bells and begins to play them at once._]

KING.

What is the matter with me? (_Weeping._) Alas! I have already had my attack again. Have the rabbit taken out of my sight. (_He lays his head on the table, full of grief, and sobs._)

COURTIER.

His majesty suffers much.

[_Violent stamping and whistling in the pit; they cough, they hiss; those in the gallery laugh; the king gets up, arranges his cloak and sits down majestically with his sceptre. It is all in vain; the noise continues to increase, all the actors forget their parts, a terrible pause on the stage. HINZE has climbed up a pillar. The author appears on the stage, overcome._]

AUTHOR.

Gentlemen--most honorable public--just a few words!

IN THE PIT.

Quiet! Quiet! The fool wishes to speak!

AUTHOR.

For the sake of heaven, do not disgrace me thus; why, the act will be over directly. Just look, the king, too, is again calmed; take an example from this great soul which certainly has more reason to be vexed than you.

FISCHER.

More than we?

WIESENER (_to his neighbor_).

But I wonder why you are stamping? We two like the play, do we not?

NEIGHBOR.

That's true too--absent-mindedly, because they're all doing it. (_Claps with might and main._)

AUTHOR.

A few voices are still favorable to me, however. For pity, do put up with my poor play; a rogue gives more than he has, and it will be over soon, too. I am so confused and frightened that I can think of nothing else to say to you.

ALL.

We want to hear nothing, know nothing.

AUTHOR (_raging, drags the peacemaker forward_).

The king is calmed, now calm this raging flood too, if you can. (_Beside himself, rushes off._)

[_The peacemaker plays on his bells, the stamping keeps time with the melody; he motions; monkeys and bears appear and dance fondly around him. Eagles and other birds. An eagle sits on the head of HINZE who is very much afraid; two elephants, two lions. Ballet and singing._]

THE FOUR-FOOTED ANIMALS.

That sounds so beautiful!

THE BIRDS.

That sounds so lovely!

CHORUS TOGETHER.

Never have I seen or heard the like!

[_Hereupon an artistic quadrille is danced by all present, the king and his court retinue are taken into the centre, HINZE and JACKPUDDING not excluded; general applause. Laughter; people standing up in pit to see better; several hats fall down from the gallery._]

THE PEACEMAKER (_sings during the ballet and the audience's general expression of pleasure_).

Could only all good men Soft bells like these discover Each enemy would then With ease be turned to lover.

And life without bad friends would be All sweet and lovely harmony.

[_The curtain falls, all shout and applaud, the ballet is heard awhile._]

INTERLUDE

WIESENER.

Splendid! Splendid!

NEIGHBOR.

Well, I'd certainly call that a heroic ballet.

WIESENER.

And so beautifully woven into the main plot!

LEUTNER.