Erdgeist (Earth-Spirit) Part 2

SCHoN. I mean the other one.

SCHWARZ. I beg your pardon. Three times more at most. (Going to the door with him.) If the lady will just leave me the upper part of the dress then....

SCHoN. With pleasure. Let us see you at my house again soon. For Heaven's sake! (As he collides in the door-way with Dr. Goll and Lulu.)

SCHWARZ. May I introduce ...

DR. GOLL. (To Schon.) What are you doing here?

LULU. (As Schon kisses her hand in greeting.) You're not going already?

DR. GOLL. But what wind blows you here?

SCHoN. I've been looking at the picture of my bride.

LULU. (Coming forward.) Your bride is here?

DR. GOLL. So you're having work done here, too?

LULU. (Before the upper picture.) Look at it! Enchanting! Entrancing!

DR. GOLL. (Looking round him.) Have you got her hidden somewhere round here?

LULU. So that is the sweet young prodigy who's made a new person out of you....

SCHoN. She sits in the afternoon mostly.

DR. GOLL. And you don't tell anyone about it?

LULU. (Turning round.) Is she really so solemn?

SCHoN. Probably the after-effects of the seminary still, dear lady.

DR. GOLL. (Before the picture.) One can see that you have been transformed profoundly.

LULU. But now you mustn't let her wait any longer.

SCHoN. In a fortnight I think the engagement will come out.

DR. GOLL. (To Lulu.) Let's lose no time. Hop!

LULU. (To Schon.) Just think, we came at a trot over the new bridge. I was driving, myself.

DR. GOLL. (As Schon prepares to leave.) No, no. We two will talk some more later. Get along, Nellie. Hop!

LULU. Now you're going to talk about me!

DR. GOLL. Our Apelles is already wiping his brushes.

LULU. I had imagined it would be much more amusing.

SCHoN. But you have always the satisfaction of preparing for us the greatest and rarest pleasure.

LULU. (Going left.) Oh, just wait!

SCHWARZ. (Before the bedroom door.) If madame will be so kind....

(Shuts the door after her and stands in front of it.)

DR. GOLL. I christened her Nellie, you know, in our marriage-contract.

SCHoN. Did you?--Yes.

DR. GOLL. What do you think of it?

SCHoN. Why not call her rather Mignon?

DR. GOLL. That would have been good, too. I didn't think of that.

SCHoN. Do you consider the name so important?

DR. GOLL. Hm.... You know, I have no children.

SCHoN. But you've only been married a couple of months.

DR. GOLL. Thanks, I don't want any.

SCHoN. (Having taken out his cigarette-case.) Have a cigarette?

DR. GOLL. (Helps himself.) I've plenty to do with this one. (To Schwarz.) Say, what's your little danseuse doing now?

SCHoN. (Turning round on Schwarz.) You and a danseuse?

SCHWARZ. The lady was sitting for me at that time only as a favor. I made her acquaintance on a flying trip of the Cecilia Society.

DR. GOLL. (To Schon.) Hm.... I think we're getting a change of weather.

SCHoN. The toilet isn't going so quickly, is it?

DR. GOLL. It's going like lightning! Woman has got to be a virtuoso in her job. So must we all, each in his job, if life isn't to turn to beggary. (Calls.) Hop, Nellie!

LULU. (Inside.) Just a second!

DR. GOLL. (To Schon.) I can't get onto these blockheads. (Referring to Schwarz.)

SCHoN. I can't help envying them. These blockheads know nothing holier than an altar-cloth, and feel richer than you and me with 30,000-mark incomes. Besides, you can't be judge of a man who from childhood has lived from palette to mouth. Try to get at his finances: it's an arithmetic example! I haven't the moral courage, and one can easily burn one's fingers at it, too.

LULU. (As Pierrot, steps out of the bed-room.) Here I am!

SCHoN. (Turns; after a pause.) Superb!