ACT V

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A room in the garden house. The door in the background leads out-doors. There are windows at both sides of the door and also in the right wall. They all look out upon the garden, but are draped with long, heavy curtains. On the left a door leads into the bedroom. On the same side farther back a tile stove. A divan, table and chair, very near the stove. Bookshelves along the walls. The general impression is that of simple comfort.

It is evening, a short time after the preceding act. A lamp is burning on the table and lights up the no more than fair-sized cozy room.

Inspector Zindel appears in the open door at the background. Before him stands Paul.

Paul. As I was saying, have the bay saddled in case I should still want to take a ride.

Inspector Zindel. Very well, sir! Immediately?

Paul. In about thirty minutes.

Inspector Zindel. Shall the coachman bring out the bay or will you come to the stable?

Paul. Have it brought out! Good-by. (He comes back into the room.)

Inspector Zindel. Good night, sir! (He withdraws and closes the door behind him.)

[Paul walks up and down excitedly several times. He seems to be in a violent struggle with himself, sometimes listens for something outside, shakes his head, groans deeply, finally throws himself on the divan and crosses his arms under his head. Short pause.]

Hella (opens the door in the background, enters and looks around). Are you here, Paul? (She has thrown a shawl around her.)

Paul (jumps up, disappointed). Hella, you? (Sits down.)

Hella (approaches). Yes, it is I, Hella! Who else? Were you expecting some one else?

Paul (painfully). Why do you still insist upon coming? Don't make it unnecessarily hard for both of us.

Hella (calmly). I am waiting for an explanation from you. Since you will not give it to me of your own accord, I am compelled to get it. It seems to me I have a right to claim it.

Paul. You certainly have.

Hella (with folded arms). Please, then!

Paul. Hella, what is the purpose of this? You do know everything now!

Hella. I know nothing. I should like to find out from you.

Paul (gets up). Very well, then I will tell you.

Hella. I assume that the Polish woman is mixed up in this affair.

Paul. So you do know! Why in the world are you going to the trouble of asking me?

Hella. So it's really true? I am to stand aside for a little goose from the country!

Paul(starts up). A little goose from the country?... Hella, control your tongue!

Hella (walks up and down). If it were not so ridiculous, it would be exasperating!

Paul. The woman under discussion is not a little goose from the country, my dear, just as little as you are one from the city.

Hella. Thank you for your flattering comparison.

Paul. That woman has had her struggles and trials as much as you have, and in spite of it has remained a woman, which you have not!

Hella (scornfully). Well, well. Are you now asserting your real nature? Are you throwing off the mask? Go on! Go on!

Paul (controls himself with an effort). That is all! I am only standing up for one who is dear to me!

Hella. Ha, ha! Dear! Today and tomorrow!

Paul. You are mistaken, Hella! I believe in Antoinette, and I shall not swerve from that.

Hella (with a sudden inspiration). Antoinette ... Antoinette ... Why that name ...

Paul. Let me assist you, Hella. Antoinette is the friend of my youth ...

Hella (nonplussed). The friend of your youth?

Paul, Indeed, Hella, I have known her longer than I have known you.

Hella. The one whom you were to marry once upon a time? Is it she?

Paul (sadly). Whom I was to marry, whom I refused on your account, Hella.

Hella. You met her again here?

Paul. As Mrs. von Laskowski, yes, Hella!

Hella (starts for him, with a savage expression). And you kept that from me?

Paul. Why you did not give me a chance to speak, when I tried to tell you.

Hella. So that was the confidence you had! Well, of course, then, of course!

Paul. Oh, my confidence, Hella! Don't mention that. That had died long before!

Hella. To be deceived so shamefully.

Paul. Blame yourself! You have killed it systematically!

Hella. I? What else, pray tell!

Paul. Yes, by forever considering only yourself and never me! That could not help but stifle all my feelings in time. I fought against it as long as I could, Hella, but it had to come to an end some time.

Hella. And I went about without misgivings, while behind my back a conspiracy was forming ...

Paul (shrugging his shoulders). Who conspired?

Hella. All of you! This whole owl's nest of a house was in league against me! You had conspired against me, you and your ilk, simply because I was superior to you, that's the reason why you wanted to shoulder me off! Do you suppose I don't realize that? Very well, let baseness prevail! I am willing to retreat!

Paul. It always has been your trick, Hella, to play the part of offended innocence! It is well that you are reminding me of that in this hour! You are making the step easier for me than I had hoped.

Hella. This is the thanks!

Paul. Thanks!... How in the world could you expect thanks?

Hella (with infuriated hatred). Because I made a human being of you!

Paul (starting up). Hella, you are making use of words!

Hella (beside herself). Yes, made a human being of you. I will repeat it ten times over!

Paul. Won't you kindly call in the whole estate with your shrieking.

Hella. The whole world, for all I care! What were you when you came into my hands? A crude student, utterly helpless, whom I directed into the proper channels, I, single handed! Without me you would have gone to the dogs or you might have become one of those novelists whom no one reads! I was the first one to put sound ideas in your head, roused your talent and pointed out to you all that is really demanded. Through me you attained a name and reputation, and now that you are fortunate enough to be that far along, you go and throw yourself away upon a Polish goose, you ... you?

Paul (as if under a lash). There are limits to all things, Hella, even to consideration for your sex! Do not assume that you still have me in your power. It has lasted fifteen years. It is over today. Do you suppose I ought to thank you for sapping everything from me, my will-power, my strength, my real talents, all the faith in love and beauty that was once in me, which you have systematically driven out with your infernal leveling process? Where shall I ever find a trace of all that again? I might seek for a hundred years and not strike that path again! I might have become an artist, at life or art itself, who cares! And you have made me a beggar, a machine, that reels off its uniform sing-song day after day! You have cheated me out of my life, you imp!... Give it back to me! (He stands before her, breathing heavily, struggling for air.)

Hella (has become quite calm). Why did you allow yourself to be cheated. It's your own fault!

Paul (suddenly calm, but sad and resigned). That is a profound word, Hella! Why have you ... allowed ... yourself to be cheated!

Hella. You had your will-power just as I had mine. Why did you not make use of it?

Paul. You, with your ideas, would say that, Hella?

Hella. Yes, one or the other is stronger, of course! Why should we women not be stronger?

Paul (turns away). That is sufficient, Hella. We are through with each other. There is nothing more to say.

Hella. As you may decide. So it is really all over between us?

Paul (stands in deep thought and murmurs to himself). Why did you allow yourself to be cheated? Terrible! Terrible! Why must this conviction come too late?

Hella (in a lurking manner). I suppose you are going to the other woman now?

Paul (breathes a deep sigh of relief). We are going together!

Hella (with a sudden inspiration). If I release you, you mean!

Paul (quite calmly). I suppose you will be compelled to!

Hella (triumphantly). Who can compel me?

Paul (starts up). Hella, then ... Then ...

Hella. Well? Then?

Paul (controls himself, with a strange expression). Then we shall see who is the stronger. (The door in the background has been opened.)

Antoinette (has entered quickly, starts at seeing Hella, stops in the background and sags, in a subdued voice). Paul!

Paul (turns around frightened, exclaims passionately). Antoinette! (He rushes up to her, about to embrace her. She turns him aside gently and looks at Hella. The two press each other's hands firmly and look into each other's eyes.)

Antoinette (softly). I am here, Paul.

Paul. Thank you, thank you, dear!

Hella (has recovered from her astonishment and starts for Antoinette, savagely). Who are you, and what do you want here?

Paul (steps between them, very seriously). Hella ... If you please ...

Antoinette (restrains Paul, with a quiet, distinguished bearing). I am not afraid, Paul. Just continue, madam.

Hella (furiously). Who has given you the right to intrude here?

[Paul has retreated a little in response to Antoinette's entreating glance.]

Antoinette. Ask yourself, madam. Who was here earlier, you or I?

Hella (turns away abruptly). I shall not quarrel with you, I shall simply show you the door!

Paul. Well, well. We are standing on my soil now, Hella! Remember that!

Hella (infuriated). Oh, I suppose you are insisting upon your rights!

Paul, Why I simply must. You are forcing me to do so!

Hella. Very well. I am doing that very thing!

Paul (clenches his fists). Really now! You will not change your mind?

Hella. I will not change my mind. I shall not release you. Now do as you please!

Paul. You will not release me?

Hella. No!

Paul, (beside himself). You!... You!...

Antoinette. Be quiet, dear! No mortal can interfere with us.

Hella. How affectionate! You probably suppose that you have him already? That I shall simply go and your happiness is complete! Don't deceive yourself! You shall not enjoy happiness when I am compelled to battle.

Antoinette. Did I not battle?

Hella. Your little battle. Simply because you did not happen to get the man that you wanted! We have had battles of quite other dimensions!

Antoinette. Do not believe for a moment that you have a right to look down upon me! I shall pick up your gauntlet in the things that really count.

Hella. You? My gauntlet? Ha, ha!

Antoinette. You too are only a woman, just as I am, and although you may rate yourself ever so much higher, you will remain a woman nevertheless!

Hella. Woman or not! I shall show you with whom you have to deal! I shall not retreat and that settles it! Under the law, you shall never get each other. Now show your courage.

Antoinette. I shall show you my courage!

Hella. Dare to do so without the law! Bear the consequences! Suffer yourself to be cast out by all the world! Have them point their fingers at you! That is the absconded wife who is living with a run-away husband! Take that ban upon you! Do you see now? I should. I should scorn the whole world! Can you do the same?

[Antoinette bows her head and is silent.]

Hella (triumphantly). You can't do that! I knew it very well.

Antoinette (composed). What I can and what I cannot do is in the hand of God. That is all that I have to say to you.

Hella. That is all I need to know! I wish you a happy life!

Paul (has been restraining himself, steps up to Hella). Hella, one last word!

Hella. It has been spoken!

Paul. Do you remember what we agreed to do once upon a time?

Hella. I don't remember anything now!

Paul. Hella, remember! On our wedding day we agreed, if either one of us, from an honest conviction, should demand his freedom, he should have it, our compact should be ended. That occasion is here. Remember!

Hella. I don't remember a thing now. You certainly do not.

Antoinette. Don't say another word, dear!

Hella. It would certainly do no good! Good-by! As for the rest, we shall see!

Paul. We shall.

[Hella goes out with head erect and closes the door behind her. Pause. Paul and Antoinette stand face to face for a moment and look into each other's eyes.]

Paul (morosely). Now the bridges are burned behind us!

Antoinette. They are, dear. Do you realize it?

Paul. What now? What now?

Antoinette (sinks upon his breast). Paul! My Paul!

Paul (embraces her, presses her to him fervently. They embrace in silence, then he draws her down beside him on the divan, and looks at her affectionately). It was a long time before you came, Toinette.

Antoinette. But now I am here, and shall leave you no more.

Paul. You will not leave me, beloved?

Antoinette. I shall never leave you.

Paul. And I shall not leave you.

Antoinette. And you will not leave me. (They embrace each other.)

Paul (straightens up). Why did you stay so long, Toinette?

Antoinette. Much was to be set in order, dear.

Paul. I was almost beginning to doubt you.

Antoinette. You wicked man. Then I should have been forced to go alone.

Paul. Alone? Where would you have gone, you poor, helpless, little soul

Antoinette. Do not think that! I have the thing that will help me. That is why I am so late!

Paul (shrinking). Antoinette!

Antoinette (smiling). Don't be frightened, dear! Two drops and all is over.

Paul (has risen). You would?

Antoinette (gently). Yes, I will. Are you going with me?

Paul. Toinette! Toinette! (Walks through the room excitedly.)

Antoinette. Think of her words, she will not release you!

Paul. Is Hella right? You haven't the courage?

Antoinette (passionately). Courage I have, Paul. To the very end!

Paul. Very well, then we shall undertake it in spite of them all.

Antoinette (excited). The absconded wife! The runaway husband! Did you forget those words? Those terrible words! They keep on ringing in my ears. Are we to live in the scorn of people. I cannot, Paul.

Paul. You do not want to.

Antoinette. No, I do not want to! I do not care to descend into the mire! I have hated it all of my life. They shall not be able to reproach us for anything.

Paul (in passionate excitement). Is it to be? Is it to be? (Antoinettenods silently).

Paul (suddenly overcome with emotion, falls upon his knees before Antoinette and presses his head to her bosom). Kiss me, kiss me, beloved!

Antoinette (puts her arms around him). Here on your brow, my lover! Are you content? (She kisses his brow.)

Paul. Content in life or death. (He gets up, sits down beside Antoinette and looks at her). Are you weeping, sweetheart?

Antoinette (lowers her head, gently). Why, you are, too, Paul!

Paul (passes his hand over his eyes). All over! Tell me what you think now, dear!

Antoinette (also controlling her tears). It is this, dear, our time is short. I rode away from my husband! He was riding ahead of me in the sleigh. I had told him that I would follow and I mounted my horse and came to you.

Paul (puts his arms around her). Courageous soul! Rode through the forest?

Antoinette. Right on through the forest. The sun was already going down, when I set out.

Paul. The sun of New Year's Eve ... Did you see it too?

Antoinette. When it was down, the gloaming afforded me light, and later the snow.

Paul (sadly with a touch of roguishness). Dearest, when the sun is down, there is nothing left to give light.

Antoinette. Indeed, my beloved, indeed! Then come the stars. They are finer.

Paul. Do you believe in the stars?

Antoinette. You heretic, I believe!...

Paul. Still believe in heaven and hell?

Antoinette. No longer for us. For us, the stars.

Paul. Do you think so? For us?

Antoinette. For us and lovers such as we are!

Paul. How do you know that?

Antoinette. Since I have you!

Paul. Then I believe it too!

Antoinette. My friend! My beloved! My life! (She presses him to her.)

Paul. My beloved! My wife! [Blissful silence.]

Antoinette (straightens up). Don't you hear steps? (She listens.)

Paul (also listens). Where, pray tell.

Antoinette (has risen). Out in the garden. It seemed so to me.

Paul. I hear nothing. All is still.

Antoinette (leans upon him). I am afraid, Paul.

Paul. Afraid? Of what?

Antoinette. That he will come and get me. Our time is short.

Paul. Then I will protect you.

Antoinette. Paul, I don't want to see him again! I don't want to see another soul!

Paul (looks at her with glowing eyes). How beautiful you are now, Toinette!

Antoinette. Am I beautiful? Am I beautiful. For you, my Paul, for you!

Paul. For me. (He puts his arms around her.)

Antoinette (proudly). I am still beautiful and young and yet I shall cast it away. I am not afraid.

Paul (his arms about her). We are not afraid!

Antoinette. Out into night and death together with you!

Paul. It is not worth living! We have realized that!

Antoinette (looks up at him, smiling). Haven't we, Paul, we two lost creatures? (In each other's embrace, they are silent for a moment.)

Antoinette (roguishly). Do you remember, dear, what you used to do when you were a little boy?

Paul. No, sweetheart, tell me!

Antoinette. Try to recall, dear. What did you do when your mother gave us bread and cake.

Paul. I took the bread first, is that what you mean, and then finished up with the cake.

Antoinette (shakes her finger at him). Kept the cake for the end, you crafty fellow!

Paul (is forced to laugh). Kept the best part for the end! Yes that's what I did.

Antoinette (on his breast). Just wait, you rogue. Now I'll make you answer. Tell me, what am I now, bread or cake!

Paul. My last, my best, my all, that's what you are to me!

Antoinette. There can be no joy beyond this. Shall we become old and gray and withered? Come, my dear, come!

Paul (looks at her for a long time). Do you know of what you remind me now?

Antoinette. Of what, Paul?

Paul. That is just the way you stood in our park when you were a girl, out there under the alders, and beckoned to me when you wanted me to come and play with you.

Antoinette (beckoning roguishly). Come on, Paul. Come on. Isn't that it?

Paul. Just so! Just so!

Antoinette. Catch me, Paulie!... Catch me! (She runs to the left, opens the door and remains standing.)

Paul (runs after her and seizes her). Now I have you, you rogue?

Antoinette (in his arms). Have me and hold me fast!

Paul. New Year's Eve! New Year's Eve!... Is it here?

Antoinette. It's no longer necessary for us to cast lead to find out how long we are to live. We know!

Paul. Soon we shall know nothing!

Antoinette. Soon we shall know all!

Paul. On your stars, do you mean?

Antoinette (nods). On our star, my lover, you and I shall meet again.

Paul. There we shall meet again!

Antoinette (starts, and listens). Do you hear?

[Inspector Zindel opens the door in the background and stands in the door. Paul and Antoinette let go of each other, keeping their places.]

Inspector Zindel. The bay is bridled, sir, and stands out here.

Antoinette (has an inspiration). The bay bridled? Is my gray there, too?

Inspector Zindel. It is, madam!

Antoinette. Very well. Stay with the horses. We shall be there immediately!

[Inspector Zindel withdraws.]

Paul (astonished). What is it, dear? What do you intend to do?

Antoinette (with frantic passion). To our horses, dearest! To our horses!

Paul (incredulously). Out into the world, after all?

Antoinette (with a wild fervor). Out with you into the night ... the night of Saint Sylvester!

Paul (sadly). Stay here, Toinette! Why begin the farce anew! Let it end upon this soil, that nurtured our childhood!

Antoinette (imploring). Come, dearest, to our horses! Let us ride to my home.

Paul. To your home?

Antoinette. To Rukkoschin, the house of my fathers.

Paul. Do you wish to go there?

Antoinette. I wish to see it once more!

Paul. And then we shall be ready?

Antoinette. The house lies secluded and empty and dead.

Paul. Only the spirits of your fathers are stirring.

Antoinette. But I know of one room where I played as a child, that has suffered no change.

Paul (overcome). To our horses! To our horses!

Antoinette. The night is clear. Many thousands of stars will light the way. We shall ride through the forest. Right across the lake. The ice is firm.

[She draws him out.]

Paul (with a gesture toward the outside). Farewell, Hella! Your reign is over!... We are returning to Mother Earth! (They depart through the door in the background.)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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