Roars of laughter answered him. Women sobbed with laughter, biting into their own hands.
“Yes—yes—she has saved our children—! She saved our children with the song of the dead machines! She saved our children with the ice cold water—! High let her live—high and three time high!”
“Go to the ‘House of the Sons’—! Your children are there!”
“Our children are not in the ‘House of the Sons!’ There lives the brood, hatched out by money. Sons of your kind, you dog in white-silken skin!”
“Listen, for God’s sake—do listen to me—!!!”
“We don’t want to hear anything—!”
“Maria—beloved!!!—Beloved!!!”
“Don’t bawl so, son of Joh Fredersen! Or we’ll stop your mouth!”
“Kill me, if you must kill—but let her live—!”
“Each in his turn, son of Joh Fredersen! First you shall see how your beloved dies a beautiful, hot magnificent death!”