Robert. That"s right--but why from to-morrow and not from to-day?
Alma. Because to-day I was----
Robert. Well, well?
Alma. Oh, please----
Robert. (_Kindly_) Out with it!
Alma. I wanted--to--go--so bad--to the masked ball! (_There is a long pause_, Robert _gets up and paces the room_) May I?
Alma. May I?
Robert. Call father and mother.
Alma. Why not? (_Whining_) Just once! Can"t a person have just one good time, if it"s to be the last of everything.
Robert. Do you know what you"re saying?--You----
Alma. (_Arrogantly_) Yes, I do know what I"m saying! I"m not such a little fool! I know a few things about life myself--What are you so excited about, anyway? Isn"t it a pretty hard lot when a person has to sit here for nothing? The sun never shines in an old hole like this, nor the moon either, and all you hear on every side is jabbering and scolding!--and n.o.body with any decent manners. Father scolds, and mother scolds--and you sew your fingers b.l.o.o.d.y!--and you get fifty pfennigs a day and that don"t even pay for the kerosene!--and when you are young and pretty--and you want to have a good time and go in decent society a little--I was always in favor of something higher--I always liked to read about it in the stories. And as for getting married? Who should I marry, then? Such plebeians as those that work down there in the factory don"t interest me! No siree! All they can do is drink up their pay and come home and beat you!--I want a gentleman and if I can"t have one I don"t want anybody! And Kurt has always treated me decently--I never learned any dirty words from him, I"ll tell you--I"ve picked them up right here at home! And I"m not going to stay here, either! And I don"t need you to take care of me, either! Girls like me don"t starve to death!
Robert. (_Starts to speak then stops_) Call Father and mother!
Alma. And now I"m going to ask father if I--(_As he threatens her_) Yes, yes, I"m going! (_She goes out_)
Robert. So that is the way it stands?--That"s my sister! Ah, what a weak fool I was!--Began to sugar this indecency with poetry and sorrow!--That wasn"t seduction--it was in the blood!--Well, I must act, now! Rough if need be, otherwise everything is lost.
(_Enter_ Frau Heinecke, _pushing_ Alma _before her_, Heinecke _follows, his mouth full._)
Heinecke. This impudence!
Frau Heinecke. Masked b.a.l.l.s cost money. Now, you"ll stay at home.
Heinecke. Do you deserve my curse or not? I curse you again, you toad!
Robert. Alma, go into the other room! I have something to say to father and mother.
Frau Heinecke. And don"t slop around so! Dress yourself! The gray dress with the patches!
Alma. That old thing!
Heinecke. Get out!
Frau Heinecke. And you won"t drink any coffee, either! Now, now, don"t cry! (_Aside_) It"s on the back of the stove.
(Alma _goes out._)
Robert. Father, Mother,--don"t be angry with me--I--you--there must be a great change in your life.
Heinecke. What"s the matter?
Robert. I am certain that Alma will be absolutely ruined if she is not brought into surroundings that make it impossible for her to return to her previous life.--But what will become of you? You can"t stay here, if you did, you would soon be a prey to the Michalskis. So the long and short of it is--you must come with me.
Frau Heinecke. (_Frightened_) To India?
Robert. It makes no difference where. Perhaps even as far as India.
Trast"s influence reaches a long way. We are in a position to choose.
Heinecke. (_Defiantly_) Oh yes, choose India!
Frau Heinecke. I don"t know which end I"m on!
Robert. It will be hard for you! I realize that. But don"t worry; it"s not as bad as it seems. You can live a thousand times more comfortably in the tropics than here. You can have as many servants as you like!
Heinecke. Thousands!
Robert. And your own house!
Heinecke. And palms?
Robert. More than you can use.
Heinecke. And you can pick the fruit right off the trees.
Robert. It picks itself.
Heinecke. And it costs nothing.
Robert. Almost nothing.
Heinecke. And the parrots fly around--and the apes? Like out at the zoo?
Robert. So you will come?
Frau Heinecke. What do you think. Father?
Heinecke. Well--"s far"s I"m concerned, we"ll come.
Robert. Thank you, thank you! (_Aside_) Thank G.o.d, I didn"t have to force them! And now we mustn"t lost a moment. Where is paper and pen?
(Heinecke _meditatively scratches his head._)
Frau Heinecke. Alma has some. (_She goes into bedroom_)
Heinecke. Of course, she"s always writing letters. (_He shuts the stove door_)