'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.