(Alma _appears in the bed-room door dressed in a nightgown and a while underskirt, her hair is down and she looks fearfully from one to the other._)
Heinecke. Hoho!
Frau Heinecke. (_Wringing her hands_) Child! child, is this our reward?
Haven"t I done everything in the world for you? Haven"t I kept you like a princess? But now it"s over. What are you standing there for? Get a broom! Sweep the room!
(Alma _slips past her with her elbows up, as if fearing a blow, into the kitchen._)
Heinecke. (_Walking excitedly up and down_) I"m your poor old father and I tell you I brought you into the world!--Yes, an honest old man!
That I am!
(Alma _appears in the kitchen door with broom and dustpan._)
Robert. (_To himself_) How sweet she looks in her penitence! and she----
Frau Heinecke. Well, are you going to begin?
Heinecke. (_Ceremoniously_) Alma, my daughter, come here--close!
Alma. Please, please, don"t strike me.
Heinecke. That is the least I"ll do! I"m an honest old man! Yes, here lies honor! Do you know what I"m going to do with you now? I"m going to curse you! What do you say to that?
Alma. Go away--let me alone.
Heinecke. You defy me, do you?--you don"t know me yet! you!
Frau Heinecke. Father, be still! she"s got to work.
Heinecke. What! I can"t be allowed to curse my own disobedient child.
Frau Heinecke. Oh, that only happens in books!
Heinecke. Hey?
Robert. My dear parents! You mustn"t go on like this! Please leave me alone with her a moment. Meanwhile, dress. I daresay there will be visitors.
Heinecke. And I"m not allowed to curse my--Hmm, wait!
(Frau Heinecke _pulls him out of the room._)
Robert. (_To himself_) Now I"ll see what she really thinks, and what I have to do! (_Softly_) Come here, sister.
Alma. Mother said I had to clean the room.
Robert. That can wait! (_Takes her hand_) You don"t need to be afraid I won"t strike you! And I won"t curse you, either. You may be sure you have one good friend who is willing to keep watch over you--a true and considerate friend.
Alma. You are too good--Much too good! (_She sinks down before him weeping_)
Robert. There, there--get up! Sit on the footstool!--There--(_She sits on the stool_) and straighten up, so I can see your eyes. (_Tries to lift her head, but she hides it in her lap_) You won"t! Well, cry then!
I won"t send you away from here--and you will cry for many a day and many a night when you really understand what you have done! Tell me, you realize, don"t you, that all the rest of your life must be repentance?
Alma. Yes, I know.
Robert. (_Takes her head in his hands_) Yes, yes, sister, and this is what a man works ten years in a foreign country to build up a fortune for--Ten long years! and twenty will hardly be enough to make us forget this disgrace----
Alma. In twenty years I"ll be old.
Robert. Old?--What difference does that make? For us two there is no more youth.
Alma. Oh, G.o.d!
Robert. (_Springing up in excitement_) Don"t be afraid, we"ll stay together! We"ll find some hiding place; like hunted animals! Yes, that"s what we are! We"ve been hunted and mangled! (Alma _sinks down, her face in the empty chair_) Only we two can heal each other"s wounds!
You mine, and I yours. (_To himself_) Oh, how she lies there! G.o.d in Heaven, there is only one thing to do!--the pure little child-soul he has trampled into the dirt, he can never give back--other satisfaction I don"t need!--Alma!
Alma. (_Sitting up_) What?
Robert. You really love him?
Alma. Whom?
Robert. Whom? Him!
Alma. Oh, yes.
Robert. And if you lost him entirely, would you feel that you could not bear it at all?
Alma. Oh no!
Robert. Good!--You are a brave little girl!--One can learn to forget!--One can learn--(_He sits down_) Above all, you must work! The singing nonsense is over, of course! You have learned dressmaking, you can begin that again! But you mustn"t go back into a shop. There are too many temptations and bad examples there!
Alma. Yes, yes, the girls are bad.
Robert. Let him among you who is without sin--you know! And least of all, you! Where we shall go I can"t say as yet. I couldn"t think of uprooting our old parents; otherwise I should take them along. It doesn"t matter where--only a long, long way, where you will belong only to me and your work--For you can take my word for it all--tired is half-happy!--Mother and Father would live with us, and you shall help me to take care of them. Besides your dressmaking, you"ll have to wash and cook. Will you do that and be patient with Father and Mother?
Alma. If you want me to.
Robert. No, you must want to with a good will, otherwise it is useless.
I ask you again, will you?
Alma. Yes, from to-morrow on, I"ll do everything.