[Who has not understood.] What's the matter?
SCHIERKE
Keep still!—You come along with me.
MRS. KNOBBE seems to have lost the power of speech. She puts her handkerchief into her mouth. A moaning sob is heard deep in her chest. SCHIERKE, MRS. KIELBACKE with the dead child, followed by MRS. KNOBBE and PAULINE PIPERCARCKA, leave the room. A dull murmur is heard from the outer hall. HASSENREUTER returns to the foreground after he has locked the door behind those who have left.
HASSENREUTER
Sic eunt fata hominum. Invent something like that, if you can, my good Spitta.
THE FOURTH ACT
The dwelling of the foreman-mason JOHN as in the second act. It is eight o'clock on a Sunday morning.
JOHN is invisible behind the partition. From his plashing and
snorting it is clear that he is performing his morning ablutions.
QUAQUARO has just entered. His hand is still on the knob of the outer door.