FLAMM
And I with you, Rose! Well, then we know what's in our hearts.—And now you might give me your hand once more…. [He presses her hand and their glances melt hotly into each other in this last farewell.] So it is. What was to be, must be! I suppose we must leave each other now.
[He turns resolutely and walks away with firm steps and without looking back.
ROSE [Looking after him, mastering herself, with tense volition:] What must be, must be!—'tis well now!—
[She put back the can into her basket and is about to walk in the opposite direction.
STRECKMANN appears.
STRECKMANN
[With pale, contorted face, creeping and basely hesitant in demeanour.] Rose! Rose Bernd! D'you hear? That was that rascally Flamm again! If ever I gets my hand on him … I'll smash every bone in his carcase!—What's up? What did he want again! But I'm tellin' you this: things don't go that way! I won't bear it! One man is as good as another! I won't let nobody turn me off this way!
ROSE
What d'you say? Who are you anyhow?
STRECKMANN
Who am I? Damn it, you know that well enough!
ROSE
Who are you? Where did I ever see you?
STRECKMANN
Me? Where you saw me? You? You can look for somebody else to play your monkey tricks on!
ROSE
What do you want? What are you? What business has you with me?
STRECKMANN
What business? What I wants? Nothin' much, y'understand? God … don't scream so!
ROSE
I'll call for all the world to come if you don't get out o' my way this minute!
STRECKMANN
Think o' the cherry tree! Think o' the crucifix….
ROSE
Who are you! Lies! Lies! What do you want with me? Either you get away from here straightway … or I'll cry out for some one to come an' help me!
STRECKMANN
Girl, you've lost your senses!
ROSE
Then I won't have to drag 'em around with me no longer! Who are you! Lies! You've seen nothin'! I'll cry out! I'll shriek as long as I has breath in my body, if you don't go this very second.
STRECKMANN
[Frightened.] I'm goin', Rosie. It's all right.
ROSE
But now! This minute! Y'understand!
STRECKMANN
Right away! For all I care! An' why not? [He makes a farcical gesture as though avoiding a shower of rain.]
ROSE
[Half-mad with rage and scorn.] There he runs! The vile scoundrel! When you see a fellow like that from behind, you see the best side o' him! Fy, I says! He's all smooth an' spruce on the outside, an' his innards rotten as dirt. A body could die o' disgust!
STRECKMANN
[Turns, pale and sinister.] Ah …! An' is that so indeed! You don't never mean it!… 'Tis not very appetisin' the way you makes it out. Why was you so hot after it, then?
ROSE
I? Hot after you?
STRECKMANN
Maybe you've forgotten already?
ROSE
Scoundrel!
STRECKMANN
Maybe I am.
ROSE
Scoundrel! Ruffian! Why do you go sniffin' around me now! Who are you? What has I done? You stuck to my heels! You followed me an' baited me an' snapped at me … Rascal … worse'n a dog …
STRECKMANN
'Twas you that ran after me!
ROSE
What …?
STRECKMANN
You came to my house an' made things hot for me!
ROSE
An' you …
STRECKMANN
Well, what?
ROSE
An' you? An' you?
STRECKMANN
Well, I don't refuse a good thing that's offered.
ROSE
Streckmann! You has to die some day! D'you hear? Think o' your last hour! You has to stand before your Judge some day! I ran to you in the awful terror o' my heart! An' I begged you for the love o' God not to put nothin' between me an' August. I crept on my knees before you—an' you say, you, I ran after you! What was it truly? You committed a crime—a crime against me! An' that's worse'n a scoundrel's trick! 'Twas a crime—doubly and trebly! An' the Lord'll bring it home to you!
STRECKMANN
Listen to that! I'll take my chances!
ROSE
Is that what you say? You'll take your chances in that court? Then a person can spit in your face!
STRECKMANN
Think o' the cherry tree! Think o' the crucifix!
ROSE
An' you swore to me that you'd never mention it again! You swore by all that's holy. You put that hand o' yours on the cross, an' by the cross you swore—an' now you're beginnin' to persecute me again! What do you want?
STRECKMANN
I'm as good as Flamm. An' I don't want no more goin's on between you an' him!
ROSE
I'll jump into his bed, scoundrel! An' it wouldn't concern you that much!
STRECKMANN
Well, we'll see what'll be the end of all that!
ROSE
What? 'Tis violence that you did to me! You confused me! You broke me down! You pounced on me like a wild beast! I know! I tried to get out by the door! An' you took hold an' you rent my bodice an' my skirt! I bled! I might ha' gotten out by the door! Then you shot the latch! That's a crime, a crime! An' I'll denounce….
BERND and AUGUST appear on the scene. After them KLEINERT and GOLISCH and the other field hands.
BERND
[Close to STRECKMANN.] What's all this? What did you do to my lass?
AUGUST
[Pulls BERND back and thrusts himself forward.] 'Tis my place, father. What did you do to Rosie?
STRECKMANN
Nothin'!
BERND
[Coming forward again.] What did you do to the lass?
STRECKMANN
Nothin'!
AUGUST
[Approaching STRECKMANN once more.] You'll tell us now what you did to her!
STRECKMANN
Nothin'! The devil! I say nothin'!
AUGUST
You'll either be tellin' us now what you did to her—or …
STRECKMANN
Or? Well, what? What about "or"?—Hands off!… Take your hands from my throat!!
KLEINERT
[Trying to separate them.] Hold on, now.
STRECKMANN
Hands off, I tell you!
BERND
You'll have to take the consequences now! Either …
AUGUST
What did you do to the girl?
STRECKMANN
[Backing, in sudden fright, toward the pear tree, cries out:] Help!
AUGUST
What did you do to the girl? Answer me that! I got to know that!
[He has freed himself and faces STRECKMANN.
STRECKMANN
[Lifts his arm and strikes AUGUST full in the face.] There's my answer! That's what I did!
KLEINERT
Streckmann!
OLD MRS. GOLISCH
Catch hold o' August! He's fallin'!
HEAD MAID
[Supports the falling man.] August!
BERND
[Paying no attention to AUGUST, but addressing STRECKMANN:] You'll have to account for this! It'll be brought home to you!
STRECKMANN
What? On account o' that there wench that's common to anybody as wants her….
[Withdraws.
BERND
What was that he said …?
KLEINERT
[Who is helping the MAID, HAHN, GOLISCH and MRS. GOLISCH support AUGUST.] His eye is out!
OLD MRS. GOLISCH
Father Bernd, August didn't fare so very well this time….
KLEINERT
'Tis an evil wooin' that he has!
BERND
What? How? Christ In Heaven! [He goes to him.] August!
AUGUST
My left eye hurts that bad!
BERND
Rose, bring some water!
OLD MRS. GOLISCH
'Tis a misfortune.
BERND
Rose, fetch some water! D'you hear me?
GOLISCH
That'll mean a good year o' prison!
ROSE
[Suddenly awakening from a dazed condition.] He says … he says … What's the meanin' o' … Didn't I get a doll o' Christmas….
THE MAID
[To ROSE.] Are you asleep?
ROSE
… There's no tellin' what … No, lass: it can't be done! Such things don't come to good! … Mebbe a girl can't do without a mother.