Erdgeist (Earth-Spirit) Part 3

LULU. (Nearer.) Well?

SCHoN. You put shame on the boldest fancy.

LULU. How do you like me?

SCHoN. A picture before which art must despair.

DR. GOLL. Don't you think so, too?

SCHoN. (To Lulu.) Have you any notion what you do?

LULU. I'm perfectly possessed of myself!

SCHoN. Then you might be a little more discreet.

LULU. But I'm only doing what's my duty.

SCHoN. You are powdered?

LULU. What do you take me for!

DR. GOLL. I've never seen such a white skin as she's got. I've told our Raphael here, too, to do just as little with the flesh tints as possible. For once, I can't get enthusiastic about the modern art-nonsense.

SCHWARZ. (By the easels, preparing his paints.) At any rate, it's thanks to impressionism that present-day art can stand up beside the old masters without blus.h.i.+ng.

DR. GOLL. Oh, it can do quite well for a bit of butcher's work.

SCHoN. For Heaven's sake don't get excited! (Lulu falls on Goll's neck and kisses him.)

DR. GOLL. They can see your unders.h.i.+rt. You must pull it lower.

LULU. I would soonest have left it off. It only bothers me.

DR. GOLL. He should be able to paint it out.

LULU. (Taking the shepherd's crook that leans against the Spanish screen, and mounting the platform, to Schon.) What would you say now, if you had to stand at attention for two hours?

SCHoN. I'd sell my soul to the devil for the chance to exchange with you.

DR. GOLL. (Sitting, left.) Come over here. Here is my post of observation.

LULU. (Plucking her left trowser-leg up to the knee, to Schwarz.) So?

SCHWARZ. Yes....

LULU. (Plucking it a thought higher.) So?

SCHWARZ. Yes, yes....

DR. GOLL. (To Schon who has seated himself on the chair next him, with a gesture.) From this place I find her still more attractive.

LULU. (Without stirring.) I beg pardon! I am equally attractive on all sides.

SCHWARZ. (To Lulu.) The right knee further forward, please.

SCHoN. (With a gesture.) The body does show finer lines perhaps.

SCHWARZ. The light to-day can be borne at least half way.

DR. GOLL. Oh, you must throw on lots of it! Hold your brush a bit longer.

SCHWARZ. Certainly, Dr. Goll.

DR. GOLL. Treat her as a piece of still-life.

SCHWARZ. Certainly, Doctor. (To Lulu.) You used to hold your head a wee mite higher, Mrs. Goll.

LULU. (Raising her head.) Paint my lips a little open.

SCHoN. Paint snow on ice. If you get warm doing that, then instantly your art gets inartistic!

SCHWARZ. Certainly, Doctor.

DR. GOLL. Art, you know, must so reproduce nature that one can find at least some =spiritual= enjoyment in it!

LULU. (Opening her mouth a little, to Schwarz.) So--look. I'll hold it half opened, so.

SCHWARZ. As soon as the sun comes, the wall opposite throws warm reflections in here.

DR. GOLL. (To Lulu.) You must keep your position just as if our Velasquez here didn't exist at all.

LULU. Well, a painter =isn't= a man at all, anyway.

SCHoN. I don't think you ought to judge the whole profession by just one famous exception.

SCHWARZ. (Stepping back from the easel.) I should have liked to have had to hire a different studio last fall.

SCHoN. (To Goll.) What I wanted to ask you--have you seen the little Murphy girl yet as a Peruvian pearl-fisher?

DR. GOLL. I see her to-morrow for the fourth time. Prince Polossov took me. His hair has already got dark yellow again with delight.

SCHoN. So you find her quite fabulous too.

DR. GOLL. Who ever wants to judge of that beforehand?

LULU. I think someone knocked.

SCHWARZ. Pardon me a moment. (Goes and opens the door.)