MOTHER.
Oh, he grieves me terribly! Yes, yes, your father is right! Those are the consequences! He is just as insolent now in demanding a gulden as he was cunning in pleading for a piece of sugar when he was a little curly-headed baby. I wonder if he would not demand the gulden now, if I had refused him the sugar then? That often hurts me! And I think he doesn't even love me! Did you ever once see him cry during my illness?
CLARA.
I didn't see him very often at best—almost never except at the table.
He had more appetite than I!
MOTHER (quickly).
That was natural! He had to work so hard!
CLARA.
To be sure! And how strange men are! They are more ashamed of their tears than they are of their sins! A clenched fist—why not exhibit that? But red eyes!—And father too! The afternoon they opened your vein and no blood came, he sobbed at his work-bench until it moved my very soul! But when I went up to him and stroked his cheeks, what did he say? "See if you can't get this accursèd splinter out of my eye! I have so much to do and can't accomplish anything!"
MOTHER (smiling).
Yes! yes!—I never see Leonard any more, by the way. How does that happen?