THE DEVIL
by
FERENC MOLNAR
adapted by
OLIVER HERFORD
by exclusive arrangement with
the author
NEW YORK
MITCHELL KENNERLEY
1908 (Copyright by Henry W. Savage)
Olga and Dr. Miller (The Devil)
As originally produced by
HENRY W. SAVAGE
at Hartford, July 6th, 1908
Staged by Robert Milton, with the assistance
of Julius Herzka, Director-General of the
Volks-Theatre, Vienna
CAST OF CHARACTERS
IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Karl Mahler, an artist Paul McAllister
Heinrich, his valet W. Chrystie Miller
Mimi, his model Marion Lorne
Olga Hofmann, the banker's wife Dorothy Dorr
Herman Hofmann, a banker Frank Monroe
The Devil (calling himself Dr. Miller) Edwin Stevens
Elsa Berg, an heiress Marguerite Snow
Madame Zanden Nan Lewald
Madame Reineke Jane Murray
Madame Schleswig Guests at the Theodosia de Cappet
Madame Lassen Hofmanns' ball Tina Marshall
Herr Grosser John McKee
Herr Besser Arthur Hoyt
Man Servant Franklin Bixby
SYNOPSIS OF SCENES
[ACT I.]—Karl Mahler's Studio, Vienna. (Afternoon.)
[ACT II.]—Conservatory Reception Room at the Hofmanns'. (Evening.)
[ACT III.]—At Karl's Studio. (The next morning.)
STAGE DIRECTIONS
Up. away from audience
Down. toward audience
Up C. centre of stage, away from audience
R. right of stage
L. left of stage
C. centre of stage
R. C. to right of centre
L. C. to left of centre
THE DEVIL
[ACT I]
SCENE.—Room next to KARL'S studio. At the back of the stage to the L. is a glass door with portière towards the stage. When this door is opened one can see the studio. Bach of the stage to the R. a fireplace with burning fire. Round the fireplace an elevation about half a yard high reaching into the middle of the room. This elevation is bordered by a wooden railing with an opening on each side—in the middle of the railing an ancient Gothic chair, with back towards the public; the back of the chair must be so high that a person sitting in it cannot be seen by the public. On the R. a door leading into the entrance hall of the apartment. There is a little invisible door covered as the rest of the room, with wall paper, on the L. near the footlights. About a yard from this door, a settee with the head end towards the glass door of the studio. Next to this settee a small, ancient table, about one yard high. On the L. a curio cabinet (small); next to it a hall stand with some shawls of different colors. On L. next the settee a large, gilded, stand-up candelabra, as used in churches.
There are many sketches, framed and unframed, about the room—some statues, some heads, and a very elegant electric candelabra hanging in the middle of the room. The whole thing unharmonious but artistic. Down stage on the R. a medium-sized table littered with books, magazines and bric-à-brac; a large palette lies on the top of some books and scattered among the other things some tubes of paint and paint brushes.
(When the Curtain rises the stage is empty for a few minutes.)
KARL, comes in with hat and overcoat which he takes off
Heinrich! Heinrich!
[HEINRICH, coming from studio.
KARL
Where were you?
HEINRICH
Nowhere, sir.
KARL
The door is wide open; anybody could have walked in.
[HEINRICH goes into the studio and comes out with a velvet house-jacket. Calling after him:
Where's today's paper?
[He finds the newspaper.
Well, hurry up.
[HEINRICH comes back and helps KARL put on his jacket.
KARL, lights a cigarette
Did you take my dress suit to be pressed?
HEINRICH
Yes, sir: he will bring it back in an hour.
[Starts R.
KARL
Good! Here's a crown. Get me a white tie, same as the last one.
[HEINRICH starts R.
Hold on! Put out a dress shirt on the bed, then look for my pearl buttons—they are probably in the top drawer—in a match-box. Stop! Give me that crown. Take this.
[Gives him a bill.
Get me a pair of white gloves, seven and a half. Oh! and Heinrich, before you go, put the Venetian chair next to the window. At three o'clock Mrs. Zanden will be here to have her portrait painted, and I shall be at home to nobody.
[Reclines on the settee.
Give me an ash tray.
[HEINRICH gives it to him.
All right; go along.
HEINRICH
Beg your pardon, sir—
KARL, seated on couch L.
What is it?
HEINRICH
Mimi is here.
KARL
Where?
HEINRICH
Waiting in the studio.
KARL, indifferent, reading newspaper
Send her away.
HEINRICH, goes to the glass door
Fräulein, Herr Marler does not need you today.
[Exit L.
MIMI, coming in
Hallo.
[KARL is silent, continues reading his paper.
[MIMI comes down L.
Don't you want to work today?
KARL
No.
[Continues reading paper.
[HEINRICH goes into the studio.
MIMI, in bad humor, crosses to C.
Good-bye.
[Turns around.
And tomorrow?
KARL
No.
MIMI, sad
Good-bye. (Wipes her eyes.) You don't love me any more ... you don't love me any more.
KARL
Oh! It's going to start again!
MIMI
Ever since last fall you've been different. I knew it right away when you started to paint landscapes. When you are in love you paint Venuses. I know what it means when you start to paint trees.
KARL
You're silly, Mimi.
MIMI
I know it. With her hat and coat on every model is silly.
KARL
Go home, Mimi.
MIMI, goes to head of couch
Yes, yes. Go home! Be a good girl. For a week now you've sent me home without my even taking my gloves off. I'm no use any more.
[Begins to cry but stops it at once.
Look here: I know everything.
KARL
Really?
MIMI
[From behind him, raises his head.
Look at me! Look at me! You want to get married? Tell me No—you don't dare.
KARL
No.
MIMI, comes to L. of him
Oh, you tell me anything you want to my face; but I know you're going to marry a girl named Elsa—the wife of your friend Mr. Zanden has arranged everything—look at me and deny it, if you dare. After all, what's the use! you wouldn't tell me the truth anyway.
KARL
You little mind-reader.
MIMI
She's a nice one, Mrs. Zanden! Instead of taking you on herself, she marries you to a friend of hers. But I don't care; you don't love me any more—doing landscapes all the time.
KARL
Well, what do you want?
MIMI, crosses to R. of him and kneels
Tell me you do love me. (Pouting.)
KARL, bored
Yes, yes—of course.
MIMI, imitating him
Yes, yes, of course. Is that the best you can do?
KARL
Well, what shall I say?
MIMI
Oh! You painters! It's always the same. First you say: "What an angel! What a Madonna! What a Venus! What color! What hair! What lines!" Then all of a sudden, it's: "Oh, my dear! Why, you've gone yellow." The next day you're green, and then it's: "I have no time today." And, first thing you know, you're—pooh! Landscapes. (Scornfully.)
[She goes to him above table at head of couch, takes his head in her hands.
Don't you like me?
KARL, smiling
Why, yes.
MIMI
If you were really nice, you would at least promise to marry me. All the other artists promised. They weren't so mean as you are! Oh yes, I know I am annoying you. I'm absolutely boring you.
KARL
If you were not such a dear little nuisance— [Reaches up and draws her down to him. —I would have done with you a long time ago.
[Kisses her.
And now, run away, little girl: go home.
MIMI
Don't you want me tomorrow? or the day after tomorrow?
KARL
No.
MIMI, crossing to him at couch
You will never have me pose any more for you at all?
KARL, rises; crosses with her to door R.
I'll look in on you this evening on my way to the Zandens'.
MIMI
But you can't work in my house. I've only a lamp!
KARL
Ha! Ha! Ha! Well, we'll put that out!
[Has taken her to the door.
MIMI
Oh, will we!
[Laughing.
Maybe you'll get put out.
KARL
Bye, bye!
[MIMI exits.
[Lights another cigarette—the bell rings sharply. Calls, somewhat excited.
Heinrich! Heinrich!
HEINRICH, comes in from studio
Yes, sir.
[Runs through the door on the R., which he leaves open, and goes off to open the hall door.
KARL
[Fixes his tie nervously, puts away newspaper, puts out his cigarette in ash tray, and arranges his hair. He goes towards the door through which HERMAN and OLGA enter, HEINRICH closes the door from the outside, KARL bows.
Madame!
[Bows silently to HERMAN.
HERMAN, in a hurry
I only came to bring Olga, my boy: I must go back at once.
[OLGA has been looking around.
OLGA, going to C. and over to L.
So this is the famous studio.
KARL, looking around
Funny, isn't it? More like a junk shop.
HERMAN
We might have chosen another day to begin Olga's portrait—we have waited six years, so we could just as well have waited until tomorrow; but the preparations for tonight's ball made Olga so nervous that I thought it best to bring her here. You know this ball is a kind of house-warming.
[Crosses over to C.
OLGA
We were obliged to invite such a lot of people, to clear off our social obligations.
HERMAN
I wish it was over. I hate these functions. Old Freebody, in whose business I started, was worth ninety millions, and he never gave a party in his life—or anything else, for that matter. When do you want me to call for Olga?
KARL, R. C.
Well, it gets dark very early now: in three quarters of an hour we won't be able to see any more.
HERMAN
Well, then—
KARL, looking at his watch
Let's say four o'clock.
OLGA, after looking at a picture L. very closely
Who is that?
KARL
Oh, some model.
OLGA
Wasn't that the girl we just met on the stairs?
HERMAN crosses quickly to L.
I must have a look at her.
[Looks at picture.
[OLGA stands so as to hide picture.
Oh, better not.
[Makes a gesture as if he had seen something indecent.
Well, every minute counts—I must be off.
[Shakes his finger at KARL.
You'll have to stop that sort of thing, now, Karl. You know you are one of the reasons of tonight's ball. Isn't he, Olga?
OLGA
Yes—tonight Karl is to fall in love with his future wife.
KARL, goes L. C.
I shall do my best.
[To HERMAN.
Sentenced to marry! Well, I'm prepared to meet my doom.
OLGA, seated on couch, with a little sigh
At last! I shall be glad.
HERMAN
So shall I. So will the girl. So will Karl.
KARL
I hope so. She's a charming girl.
OLGA
Wait till you—
KARL
I know—I know. I shall adore her. But I have till this evening, you know.
HERMAN, crossing to OLGA
Well, I'm off. My agent may telephone any minute.
[He kisses OLGA'S hand.
I shall call for you at four o'clock, my dear. And don't worry about tonight: the caterer has his instructions.
[Crossing to R., shaking hands with KARL, who holds him back.
KARL, shaking HERMAN'S hand
Aren't you afraid to leave your wife?
HERMAN
Shall I tell you the truth? I'm hurrying because I'm afraid of changing my mind and taking Olga away with me.
OLGA
You're not jealous?
HERMAN, at door
If I wasn't afraid of appearing ridiculous, I would say: Be good! And now, good-bye.
[He goes off, KARL bringing him to the door of entrance hall.
KARL
[Coming back, closes the door, stands still for a minute—when he comes back, OLGA shivers slightly and touches her forehead with her hand.
[Crosses to L. C. by OLGA.
What is it?
OLGA, with a nervous, soft laugh
Nothing—nothing at all.
KARL, tenderly
Are you frightened?
[OLGA does not answer.
Tell me.
OLGA, nervous, confused, as if she was afraid of him
I don't know, but—I feel as if—as if—
KARL
What do you mean?
OLGA, trying to laugh, but very nervously
I had the same feeling once in Dresden, when my mother took me to a boarding-school and left me there. I felt as if I were quite alone in this wide, strange world—and now—you know yourself. I have fought against coming here for six years.
[Looks around.
What a queer place. I don't think I like it. [KARL crosses C. and up laughing. Strange monsters, cut off heads, and you in the middle of all this like a wizard. While my husband was here I did not feel it, but now these heads seem to stare at me.
[She shivers.
KARL
Don't be nervous—every woman I paint comes here.
OLGA, seated on couch, quietly
And do you paint every woman that comes here?
KARL
No.
[Silence.
OLGA
Did you understand my husband just now?
KARL
I think I did.
OLGA
He has often pretended to be jealous, but this time there was a ring in his voice that made me feel that there was something behind it.
KARL
You don't really think he's jealous?
OLGA, crosses to chair
No. But this is the first time I've been alone with you.
KARL
Now we can talk things over. I've wanted to for a long time.
OLGA, leans against R. back of chair
We've done well to avoid it all these years. A good conscience is like a warm bath—one feels so comfortable in it.
KARL
Last Thursday, when we spoke about my painting your portrait, you seemed embarrassed.
OLGA, looks at him; their eyes meet
Don't let us talk about it. I don't want to.
KARL
Don't be afraid of me. If I were not I, your fear might be justified; but as it is, surely we can trust ourselves to talk things over quietly. To think that seven years ago I was a teacher in Herman's family—and I was there the day your engagement was announced—it was the evening of the day we—
OLGA, puts her hand on his, softly reproaching him
Karl.
KARL
—We kissed each other for the first time. Oh, I know. I was only a drawing teacher—but you—what were you? Just a poor little friend of Herman's sisters. Sometimes you were asked to tea in their grand house. And there we met—a beggar boy and a beggar girl at the rich man's table. Do you wonder? And then, just as we realized what we were to each other, one fine day Herman up and proposed to you. Such a dazzling offer—who could blame you?
OLGA, hurt
Please—please, Karl.
KARL
We were two poor little souls who found one another in the wilderness of wealth—only to lose each other. Even the memory of that one little kiss....
OLGA
Dear Karl, don't. We have grown up to be sensible people—we have put it out of our thoughts.
KARL
Oh, I know it's all over. To-day I'm—(humorously) the famous painter, your husband is my friend, and though we see one another every day, we have never spoken of it again. I wouldn't even have the courage to ask you to sit for your portrait. I was afraid, and I think you were afraid. And so was your husband. And that is why until this day—
OLGA, steps down one pace from chair, gives him her hand
You are a real friend.
KARL, goes to her, gently
There's nothing to be afraid of.
OLGA
Oh, it was only my husband's voice—something in his manner that frightened me. He must know what we were to one another, though he has never made the slightest allusion to it, not one single word in all these years. But when he left us here alone, he seemed to feel—