FLAMM
It hasn't any, mother—not the slightest … none at all, in fact. And I'm quite clear in my head again, too—quite! Only now and then a feeling comes over me, a kind of terror, all of a sudden, I don't know how … and I feel as if there were no solid footing under me any longer, and as if I were going to crash through and break my neck.
MRS. FLAMM
'Tis strange things you are saying to-day, Christie. [A knocking is heard at the door.] Who's knocking there? Come in!
AUGUST
[Still behind the scenes.] 'Tis only me, Mrs. Flamm.
FLAMM withdraws rapidly into his den.
MRS. FLAMM
Oh, 'tis you, Mr. Keil. Just step right in.
AUGUST KEIL appears on the scene. He is paler than formerly, more emaciated and wears dark glasses. His left eye is hidden by a black patch.
AUGUST
I have come, Mrs. Flamm, to bring Rose's excuses to you. Good-day, Mrs.
Flamm.
MRS. FLAMM
Good-day to you, Mr. Keil.
AUGUST
My betrothed had to go to the county court to-day, or she would ha' come herself. But she'll be comin' in this evenin'.
MRS. FLAMM
I'm real pleased to get a chance to see you. How are you getting on? Sit down.
AUGUST
God's ways are mysterious! An' when His hand rests heavy on us, we mustn't complain. On the contrary, we must rejoice. An' I tell you, Mrs. Flamm, that's almost the way I'm feelin' nowadays. I'm content. The worse things gets, the gladder I am. 'Tis layin' up more an' more treasures in heaven.
MRS. FLAMM
[Taking a deep and difficult breath.] I trust you are right, Mr. Keil.—Did Rose get my letters?
AUGUST
She gave them to me to read. An' I told her, it wouldn't do—that she'd have to go to see you now.
MRS. FLAMM
I must tell you, Keil, I'm surprised that, after all these recent happenin's, she never once found her way here. She knows that she'll find sympathy here.
AUGUST
She's been reel afraid o' people recently. An', Mrs. Flamm, if you'll permit me to say so, you mustn't take it ill. First of all she had her hands full with tendin' to me. I was so in need o' care—an' she did a good work by me! An' then, since that man slandered her so terrible, she scarce dared go out o' the room.
MRS. FLAMM
I don't take offence, Keil. Oh, no! But how is she otherwise? An' what does she do?
AUGUST
'Tis hard to say, that's certain. To-day, for instance, when she had to go to court at eleven o'clock—'twas a regular dance she led us! She talked so strange, Mrs. Flamm, 'twas enough to scare a body out o' his wits.—First of all she didn't want to be goin' at all; next she thought she wanted to take me with her. In the end she was gone like a flash an' cried out to me that I wasn't to follow. Times she kept weepin' all day!—Naturally, a man has his thoughts.
MRS. FLAMM
What kind o' thoughts?
AUGUST
About several things.—Firstly, this mishap that came to me! She spoke of it to me many a time. That's cut her straight to the heart! An' about father Bernd an' that he has taken that business o' Streckmann so serious.
MRS. FLAMM
We're all alone here, Mr. Keil. Why shouldn't we speak openly for once. Did it never occur to you … I mean about this Streckmann matter … to you or, maybe to father Bernd—that there might be some truth in it?
AUGUST
I don't let myself have no thoughts about that.
MRS. FLAMM
That's right! I don't blame you for that in the least. There are times in life when one can't do better than stick one's head in the sand like an ostrich. But that isn't right for a father!
AUGUST
Well, Mrs. Flamm, as far as old Bernd goes, his mind is as far as the sky from any suspicion that somethin' mightn't be quite right. His conviction's as firm as a rock. He'd let you chop off his hands for it. Nobody wouldn't believe how strictly he thinks about things o' that kind. His honour was there too an' tried to persuade him to withdraw his charge….
MRS. FLAMM
[Excitedly.] Who was there?
AUGUST
His honour, Mr. Flamm.
MRS. FLAMM
My husband?
AUGUST
Yes! He talked to him a long time. You see, as for me—I've lost an eye, to be sure—but I don't care to have Streckmann punished. Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. But father—he can't be persuaded to think peaceably about this matter. Ask anythin' o' me, says he, but not that!
MRS. FLAMM
You say my husband went to see old Bernd?
AUGUST
Yes, that time he got the summons.
MRS. FLAMM
What kind o' summons was that?
AUGUST
To appear before the examining magistrate.
MRS. FLAMM
[With growing excitement.] Who? Old Bernd?
AUGUST
No; Mr. Flamm.
MRS. FLAMM
Was my husband examined too? What did he have to do with the affair?
AUGUST
Yes, he was examined too.
MRS. FLAMM
[Deeply affected.] Is that so? That's news to me! I didn't know about that. Nor that Christie went to see old Bernd!… I wonder where my smellin' bottle is?—No, August, you might as well go home now. I'm a bit … I don't know what to call it! An' any special advice I can't give you, the way it all turns out. There's something that's gone through an' through me. Go home an' wait to see how everything goes. But if you love the lass truly, then … look at me: I could tell you a tale! If a body is made that way: whether 'tis a man that the women run after, or a woman that all the men are mad about—then there's nothin' to do but just to suffer an' suffer and be patient!—I've lived that way twelve long years. [She pats her hand to her eyes and peers through her fingers.] An' if I want to see things at all, I have to see them from behind my hands.
AUGUST
I can't never believe that, Mrs. Flamm.
MRS. FLAMM
Whether you believe me or not. Life don't ask us if we want to believe things. An' I feel exactly like you: I can't hardly realise it either. But we have to see how we can reconcile ourselves to it—I made a promise to Rose! 'Tis easy promisin' an' hard keepin' the promise sometimes in this world. But I'll do the best in my power.—Good-bye—I can't expect you to … God must take pity on us. That's all.
AUGUST, deeply moved, grasps the hand which MRS. FLAMM offers him and withdraws in silence.
MRS. FLAMM leans her head far back and, lost in thought, looks up. She sighs twice deeply and with difficulty. FLAMM enters, very pale, looks sidewise at his wife and begins to whistle softly. He opens the book case and pretends to be eagerly hunting for something._
MRS. FLAMM
Yes, yes; there it is—you whistle everything down the wind! But this … this … I wouldn't ha' thought you capable of.
FLAMM swings around, falls silent, and looks straight at her. He lifts both hands slightly and shrugs his shoulders very high. Then, he relaxes all his muscles and gazes simply and without embarrassment—thoughtfully rather than shamefacedly—at the floor.
MRS. FLAMM
You men take these things very lightly! What's to happen now?