_Jack_ (_springs up_). My G.o.d, you"re done up. Sit down.
_Belle_ (_in terror_). No, no, no! He"ll hear you! He"d not keep me if he thought I was sick.
_Jack_. d.a.m.n his soul! Have you no one to take care of you?
_Belle_. I have a sister, sir. But she can"t earn enough for two.
Please let me be.
_Jack_. Poor little girl!
_Belle_. I"ll be all right. It"s near closing time. I"m tired--that"s all.
_Jack_. What time do you come on?
_Belle_. At ten o"clock, sir.
_Jack_. What, in the morning?
_Belle_. Yes.
_Jack_. Fourteen hours! And you have to stand up?
_Belle_. Of course.
_Jack_. The whole time?
_Belle_. Oh, no! I have time for two meals.
_Jack_. And that"s all?
_Belle_. It"s the same everywhere, sir. They don"t like you to sit down. It wouldn"t look right. (_Seeing Schmidt entering Left_). Will you have some dessert, sir?
_Jack_. No, not yet. (_He finishes food, then turns to Schmidt, hesitatingly_.) See here, my friend.
_Belle_ (_in terror_). No, no!
_Jack_ (_waving her aside_). I"m sorry, my friend, but I"m afraid you"ll have to have me arrested.
_Schmidt_. Hey? Vot?
_Jack_. You"ll have to have me arrested.
_Schmidt_. Vot you mean?
_Jack_. I mean--I"ve eaten a meal and I haven"t any money to pay for it.
_Schmidt_. No money!
_Jack_. Not a cent.
_Schmidt_. Aber--vy--how you dare?
_Jack_. I was starving. I have walked the streets for two days begging for work, and I can"t find any. I am wet, chilled to the bone, exhausted. Look at me----
_Schmidt_ (_in excitement_). Vot I got to do mit your looks?
_Jack_. I had to have something to eat.
_Schmidt_. But vy should _I_ feed you? Vy you come by _me_?
_Jack_. I"ll work for you, if I may.
_Schmidt_. Vork? I don"t vant no vork! I got all the vork as I need.
I vant customers!
_Jack._ You"ll have to have me arrested, then.
_Schmidt._ Arrested? Vot good will it do me if I have you arrested?
You tink I earn my living by having you arrested? Mein Gott in Himmel, vot----
_Jack._ There"s no use in getting excited, my friend.
_Schmidt._ Excited? I get excited if I _please_ to get excited! Vot you got for business to tell me if I get excited? I show you vot I get! _(Rushes to door.)_ Police! Police! _(Rushes back.)_ If I did not vant a police, he stand by my door and hold out his hand for sandwiches! If you have to steal food, why you don"t go by Schnitzelman on der next block--he haf a big place, und I can yust mein expenses not make.
_Jack._ I"m sorry, truly. But what could I do?
_Schmidt._ I dunno vot you do, but you keep out from mein place. Dey comes me somebody every veek und plays me dot trick, und den tells me I get dem arrested! _(Rushes to door.)_ Find me a police! I keep dis man here till I find a police! Help! Police! police! _(Exit shouting)._
_Jack (to Belle)._ G.o.d knows I"m sorry. But I can"t help you. You see, I can"t even help myself.
_Belle._ Are you really as bad off as you said?
_Jack._ I am clean down and out.
_Schmidt (rushes back)._ All right! Now I got a police! I show you!
You come und rob a man! I show you!
_Policeman (enters Center; a big red-faced Irishman)._ An" phat"s this, now?
_Schmidt._ Policeman, you arrest him und you take him to jail. He comes by my place und he eats my food und den he tells me he don"t pay me.
_Policeman (to Jack)._ Phat"s the matter wid yez?
_Jack._ Officer, I had to have something to eat--I was starving. I have walked the streets for two days, begging for a job, and I"ve not been able to earn a penny. I was desperate.
_Policeman (grasping Jack)._ Where do yez live, young divvil?
_Jack._ I"ve come from--a long way off. And I"ve been unfortunate--lost my money. I"ve tried my best. I"m willing to work----