ungefahr neun Uhr sein; bald kommen sie vom Spaziergehen zuruck. Also, es ware gut dass ich meinem eigenen Schatz einen Besuch abstatte und spazieren gehe.
(Dons her shawl. Exit. L.)
Enter WIRTHIN. R.
WIRTHIN. That was Mr. Stephenson's train that just came in. Evidently the girls are out walking with Gretchen;—can't find them, and she doesn't seem to be around. (A ring at the door.) That's him. I'll go see. (Exit. R.)
Enter STEPHENSON and WIRTHIN. R.
S. Well, how does sickness seem to agree with you?
WIRTHIN. So well that I've never been out of my room since, till I heard your train come in.
S. Thou miracle of fidelity! Now I argue from that, that the new plan is working.
WIRTHIN. Working? Mr. Stephenson, you never saw anything like it in the whole course of your life! It's absolutely wonderful the way it works.
S. Succeeds? No—you don't mean it.
WIRTHIN. Indeed I do mean it. I tell you, Mr. Stephenson, that plan was just an inspiration—that's what it was. You could teach a cat German by it.
S. Dear me, this is noble news! Tell me about it.
WIRTHIN. Well, it's all Gretchen—ev-ery bit of it. I told you she was a jewel. And then the sagacity of that child—why, I never dreamed it was in her. Sh-she, 'Never you ask the young ladies a question—never let on—just keep mum—leave the whole thing to me,' sh-she.
S. Good! And she justified, did she?
WIRTHIN. Well, sir, the amount of German gabble that that child crammed into those two girls inside the next forty-eight hours—well, I was satisfied! So I've never asked a question—never wanted to ask any. I've just lain curled up there, happy. The little dears! they've flitted in to see me a moment, every morning and noon and supper-time; and as sure as I'm sitting here, inside of six days they were clattering German to me like a house afire!
S. Sp-lendid, splendid!
WIRTHIN. Of course it ain't grammatical—the inventor of the language can't talk grammatical; if the dative didn't fetch him the accusative would; but it's German all the same, and don't you forget it!
S. Go on—go on—this is delicious news—
WIRTHIN. Gretchen, she says to me at the start, 'Never you mind about company for 'em,' sh-she—'I'm company enough.' And I says, 'All right—fix it your own way, child;' and that she was right is shown by the fact that to this day they don't care a straw for any company but hers.
S. Dear me; why, it's admirable!
WIRTHIN. Well, I should think so! They just dote on that hussy—can't seem to get enough of her. Gretchen tells me so herself. And the care she takes of them! She tells me that every time there's a moonlight night she coaxes them out for a walk; and if a body can believe her, she actually bullies them off to church three times every Sunday!
S. Why, the little dev—missionary! Really, she's a genius!
WIRTHIN. She's a bud, I tell you! Dear me, how she's brought those girls' health up! Cheeks?—just roses. Gait?—they walk on watch-springs! And happy?—by the bliss in their eyes, you'd think they're in Paradise! Ah, that Gretchen! Just you imagine our trying to achieve these marvels!
S. You're right—every time. Those girls—why, all they'd have wanted to know was what we wanted done, and then they wouldn't have done it—the mischievous young rascals!
WIRTHIN. Don't tell me? Bless you, I found that out early—when I was bossing.
S. Well, I'm im-mensely pleased. Now fetch them down. I'm not afraid now. They won't want to go home.
WIRTHIN. Home! I don't believe you could drag them away from Gretchen with nine span of horses. But if you want to see them, put on your hat and come along; they're out somewhere trapseing along with Gretchen. (Going.)
S. I'm with you—lead on.
WIRTHIN. We'll go out the side door. It's towards the Anlage. (Exit both. L.)
Enter GEORGE and MARGARET. R. Her head lies upon his shoulder, his arm is about her waist; they are steeped in sentiment.
M. (Turning a fond face up at him.) Du Engel!
GEO. Liebste!
M. Oh, das Liedchen dass Du mir gewidmet hast—es ist so schon, so wunderschon. Wie hatte ich je geahnt dass Du ein Poet warest!
GEO. Mein Schatzchen!—es ist mir lieb wenn Dir die Kleinigkeit gefallt.
M. Ah, es ist mit der zartlichsten Musik gefullt—klingt ja so suss und selig—wie das Flustern des Sommerwindes die Abenddammerung hindurch. Wieder—Theuerste!—sag'es wieder.
GEO. Du bist wie eine Blume!—So schon und hold und rein—Ich schau' Dich an, und WehmuthSchleicht mir ins Herz hinein. Mir ist als ob ich die HandeAufs Haupt Dir legen sollt', Betend, dass Gott Dich erhalte, So rein und schon und hold.
M. A-ch! (Dumb-show sentimentalisms.) Georgie—
GEO. Kindchen!
M. Warum kommen sie nicht?
GEO. Das weiss ich gar night. Sie waren—
M. Es wird spat. Wir mussen sie antreiben. Komm!
GEO. Ich glaube sie werden recht bald ankommen, aber—(Exit both. L.)
Enter GRETCHEN, R., in a state of mind. Slumps into a chair limp with despair.
GR. Ach! was wird jetzt aus mir werden! Zufallig habe ich in der Ferne den verdammten Papa gesehen!—und die Frau Wirthin auch! Oh, diese Erscheinung—die hat mir beinahe das Leben genommen. Sie suchen die jungen Damen—das weiss ich wenn sie diese und die jungen Herren zusammen fanden—du heileger Gott! Wenn das gescheiht, waren wir Alle ganz und gar verloren! Ich muss sie gleich finden, und ihr eine Warnung geben! (Exit. L.)
Enter ANNIE and WILL, R., posed like the former couple and sentimental.
A. Ich liebe Dich schon so sehr—Deiner edlen Natur wegen. Dass du dazu auch ein Dichter bist!—ach, mein Leben ist ubermassig reich geworden! Wer hatte sich doch einbilden konnen dass ich einen Mann zu einem so wunderschonen Gedicht hatte begeistern konnen?
W. Liebste! Es ist nur eine Kleinigkeit.
A. Nein, nein, es ist ein echtes Wunder! Sage es noch einmal—ich flehe Dich an.
W. Du bist wie eine Blume!—So schon und hold und rein—Ich schau' Dich an, und WehmuthSchleicht mir ins Herz hinein. Mir ist als ob ich die HandeAufs Haupt Dir legen sollt', Betend, dass Gott Dich erhalt, So rein und schon und hold.
A. Ach, es ist himmlisch—einfach himmlisch. (Kiss.) Schreibt auch George Gedicht?
W. Oh, ja—zuweilen.
A. Wie schon!
W. (Aside.) Smouches 'em, same as I do! It was a noble good idea to play that little thing on her. George wouldn't ever think of that—somehow he never had any invention.
A. (Arranging chairs.) Jetzt will ich bei Dir sitzen bleiben, und Du—
W. (They sit.) Ja—und ich—
A. Du wirst mir die alte Geschichte, die immer neu bleibt, noch wieder erzahlen.
W. Zum Beispiel, dass ich Dich liebe!
A. Wieder!
W. Ich—sie kommen!
Enter GEORGE and MARGARET.
A. Das macht nichts. Fortan! (GEORGE unties M.'s bonnet. She reties his cravat—interspersings of love-pats, etc., and dumb show of love-quarrellings.)
