The farmyard, as in the second act. Time: a quarter of an hour after HELEN'S avowal.

MARIE and GOLISCH the cowherd drag a wooden chest down the stairs that lead to the loft. LOTH comes from the house. He is dressed for travelling and goes slowly and thoughtfully diagonally across the yard. Before he turns into the path that leads to the inn, he comes upon HOFFMANN, who is hurrying toward him through the gateway.

HOFFMANN

[In top hat and kid gloves.] Don't be angry with me. [He obstructs
LOTH'S way and grasps both of his hands.] I take it all back herewith
… Mention any reparation you demand … I am ready to give you any!…
I'm most truly, most sincerely sorry.

LOTH

That helps neither of us very much.

HOFFMANN

Oh, if you would just … Look here, now…! A man can't well do more than that. I assure you that my conscience gave me no rest! I turned back just before reaching Jauer…. That should convince you of the seriousness of my feeling. Where were you going?

LOTH

To the inn—for the moment.

HOFFMANN

Oh, that's an affront you simply can't offer me … no, you mustn't—simply, I believe that I did hurt you badly, of course. And probably it's not the kind of thing that can be wiped out with just a few words. Only don't rob me of any chance … of every possibility to prove to you … D'you hear? Now turn back and stay at least—at least until to-morrow. Or till … till I come back. I want to talk it all over with you at leisure. You can't refuse me that favour.

LOTH

If you set so much store by it all….

HOFFMANN

A great deal!… on my honour!… I care immensely. So come, come! Don't run away!

[He leads LOTH, who offers no further resistance, back into the
house.

The dismissed maid and the boy have, in the meantime, placed the chest on a wheelbarrow and GOLISCH has put on the shoulder strap.

MARIE

[Slipping a coin into GOLISCH'S hand.] There's somethin' fer you.

GOLISCH

[Refusing it.] Keep yer penny.

MARIE

Aw! Ye donkey!

GOLISCH

Well, I don't care.

[He takes the coin and puts it into his leathern purse.

MRS. SPILLER

[Appears at one of the windows of the house and calls out:] Marie.

MARIE

What d'ye want now?

MRS. SPILLER

[Appearing almost immediately at the door of the house.] The madame's willing to keep you, if you promise….

MARIE

A stinkin' lot I'll promise her. Go on, Golisch!

MRS. SPILLER

[Approaching.] The madame is willing to increase your wages, if you…. [Whispering suddenly.] What d'ye care, girl! She just gits kinder rough now an' then.

MARIE

[Furiously.] She c'n keep her dirty money to herself!—[Tearfully.] I'd rather starve! [She follows GOLISCH, who has preceded her with the wheelbarrow.] Naw, just to think of it!—It's enough to make you….

[She disappears, as does MRS. SPILLER.

Through the great gate comes BAER called HOPPING BAER. He is a lank fellow with a vulture's neck and goitre. His feet and head are bare. His breeches, badly ravelled at the bottom, scarcely reach below the knee. The top of his head is bald. Such hair as he has, brown, dusty, and clotted, hangs down over his shoulders. His gait is ostrich-like. By a cord he draws behind him a child's toy waggon full of sand. His face is beardless. His whole appearance shows him to be a god-forsaken peasant lad in the twenties.

BAER

[With a strangely bleating voice.] Sa—a—and! Sa—a—and!

He crosses the yard and disappears between the house and the stables. HOFFMANN and HELEN come from the house. HELEN is pale and carries an empty glass in her hand.

HOFFMANN

[To HELEN.] Entertain him a bit! You understand? Don't let him go. I should hate to have him.—Injured vanity like that!… Good-bye!… Oh, maybe I oughtn't to go at all? How is Martha doing?—I've got a queer kind of feeling as if pretty soon…. Nonsense!—Good-bye! … awful hurry!… [Calls out.] Franz! Give the horses their heads!

[Leaves rapidly through the main gate.

HELEN goes to the pump, fills her glass and empties it at one draught. She empties half of another glass. She then sets the glass on the pump and then strolls slowly, looking backward from time to time, through the gate-may. BAER emerges from between the house and the stables and stops with his waggon before the house door, where MIELE takes some sand from him. In the meantime KAHL has become visible at the right, beyond the dividing fence. He is in conversation with MRS. SPILLER, who is on the hither side of the fence and therefore close to the entrance of the yard. As the conversation proceeds, both walk slowly along the fence.

MRS. SPILLER

[Mildly agonised.] Ah yes—m—Mr. Kahl! I have—m—many a time thought of—m—you when … when our—m—dear Miss Helen … She is so to—m—speak betrothed to you and so—m—ah! I—m—must say … in my time…!

KAHL

[Mounts a rustic bench under the oak-tree and fastens a bird trap to the lowest branch.] When is th-that b-beast of a doctor goin' to git out o' here? Ha?

MRS. SPILLER

Ah, Mr. Kahl! I don't—m—think so very soon.—Ah, Mr. Kahl, I—m—have, so to speak, come—m—down in the world, but I—m—know—m—what refinement is. In this respect, Mr. Kahl, I—must say—dear Miss Helen isn't—m—acting quite right toward you. No—m—in that respect, so to speak—m—I've never had anything with which to—m—reproach myself—m—my conscience, dear Mr. Kahl, is as pure in that—m—respect—so to speak, as new-fallen snow.

BAER has finished the sale of his sand and, at this moment, passes by KAHL in order to leave the yard.

KAHL

[Discovers BAER and calls out.] Heres hopping Baer! Hop a bit!

BAER takes a, huge leap.

KAHL

[Bellowing with laughter.] Here, hopping Baer! Hop again!

MRS. SPILLER

Well—m—Mr. Kahl, what I want to say is—m—I have the best—m—intentions toward you. You ought to observe very—m—carefully. Something—m—is going on between our young lady and—m—

KAHL

If I could j-jist git my d-dogs on that son of a—… Jist once!

MRS. SPILLER

[Mysteriously.] And I'm afraid you—m—don't know what kind of an individual that—m—is. Oh, I am so—m—truly sorry for our dear young lady. The wife of the bailiff—she has it straight from the office, I think. He is said to be a—m—really dangerous person. The woman said her husband had—m—orders, just think! actually—m—to keep his eye on him.

LOTH comes from the house and looks about.

MRS. SPILLER

You see, now he is going—m—after our young lady. Oh, it's too sad—m—for anything.

KAHL

Aw! You wait an' see!

[Exit.

MRS. SPILLER goes to the door of the house. In passing LOTH she makes a deep bow. Then she disappears into the house.

LOTH disappears slowly through the gateway. The coachman's wife, an emaciated, worried, starved woman, emerges from between the house and the stables. She carries a large pot hidden under her apron and slinks off toward the cow-shed, looking about fearfully at every moment. She disappears into the door of the stable. The two MAIDS, each before her a wheel-barrow laden with clover, enter by the gate. BEIPST, his pipe in his mouth and his scythe across his shoulder, follows them, LIESE has wheeled her barrow in front of the left, AUGUSTE hers in front of the right door of the barn, and both begin to carry great armfuls of clover into the building.

LIESE

[Coming back out of the stable.] Guste! D'ye know, Marie is gone.

AUGUSTE

Aw, don' tell me!

LIESE

Go in there'n ask the coachman's wife. She's gittin' her a drop o' milk.

BEIPST

[Hangs up his scythe on the wall.] Ye'd better not let that Spiller creature get wind o' it.

AUGUSTE

Oh, Lord, no! Who'd think o' it!

LIESE

A poor woman like that with eight—

AUGUSTE

Eight little brats. They wants to be fed!

LIESE

An' they wouldn't give her a drop o' milk even. It's low, that's what I calls it.

AUGUSTE

Where is she milkin'?

LIESE

Way back there.

BEIPST

[Fills his pipe. Holding his tobacco-pouch with his teeth he mumbles.] Ye say Marie's gone?

LIESE

Yes, it's true an' certain. The parson's hired man slept with her.

BEIPST

[Replacing the tobacco-pouch in his pocket.] Everybody feels that way sometimes—even a woman. [He lights his pipe and disappears through the gateway. In going:] I'm goin' fer a bit o' breakfast.

THE COACHMAN'S WIFE

[Hiding the pot full of milk carefully under her apron, sticks her head out of the stable door.] Anybody in sight?

LIESE

Ye c'n come if ye'll hurry. There ain't nobody. Come! Hurry!

THE COACHMAN'S WIFE

[Passing by the maids.] It's fer the nursin' baby.

LIESE

[Calling out after her.] Hurry! Some one's comin'.

THE COACHMAN'S WIFE disappears between the house and the stable.

AUGUSTE

It's only the young Miss.

The maids now finish unloading their wheelbarrows and then thrust them under the doorway. They both go into the cow-shed.

HELEN and LOTH enter by the gate.

LOTH

A disgusting fellow—this Kahl—an insolent sneak.

HELEN

I think in the arbour in front—[They pass through the small gate into the little garden by the house and into the arbour.] It's my favourite place, I'm less disturbed there than anywhere if, sometimes, I want to read something.

LOTH

It's a pretty place.—Really. [Both sit down in the arbour, consciously keeping at some distance from one another. An interval of silence. Then LOTH.] You have very beautiful and abundant hair.

HELEN

Yes, my brother-in-law says so too. He thought he had scarcely seen anyone with so much—not even in the city … The braid at the top is as thick as my wrist … When I let it down, it reaches to my knees. Feel it. It's like silk, isn't it?

LOTH

It is like silk.

[A tremour passes through him. He bends down and kisses her hair.

HELEN

[Frightened.] Ah, don't. If …

LOTH

Helen! Were you in earnest a while ago?

HELEN

Oh, I am so ashamed—so deeply ashamed. What have I done? Why, I've thrown myself at you. That's what I've done. I wonder what you take me for?

LOTH

[Draws nearer to her and takes her hand in his.] Ah, you mustn't let that trouble you.

HELEN

[Sighing.] Oh, if Sister Schmittgen knew of that—I dare not imagine it.

LOTH

Who is Sister Schmittgen?

HELEN

One of my teachers at boarding-school.

LOTH

How can you worry about Sister Schmittgen!

HELEN

She was very good.

[Laughing heartily to herself suddenly.

LOTH

Why do you laugh all at once?

HELEN

[Half between respect and jest.] Oh, when she stood in the choir and sang—she had only one long tooth left—then she was supposed to sing: "Trouble yourselves not, my people!"—and it always sounded like: "'Rouble, 'rouble yourselves not, my people!" It was too funny. And we always had to laugh so … when it sounded through the chapel: "'Rouble, 'rouble!" [She laughs more and more heartily. LOTH becomes infected by her mirth. She seems so sweet to him at this moment that he wants to take the opportunity to put his arms about her. HELEN wards him off.] An, no! no! Just think! I threw myself at you!

LOTH

Oh, don't say such things!

HELEN

But it isn't my fault; you have only yourself to blame for it. Why do you demand …

LOTH puts his arm about her once more and draws her closer to him. At first she resists a little, then she yields and gazes, with frank blessedness, into the joyous face of LOTH which bends above her. Involuntarily, in the awkwardness of her very timidity, she kisses his mouth. Both grow red; then LOTH returns her kiss. His caress is long and heartfelt. A giving and taking of kisses—silent and eloquent at once—is, for a time, all that passes between them. LOTH is the first to speak.

LOTH

Nellie, dearest! Nellie is your name, isn't it?

HELEN

[Kisses him.] Call me something else … call me what you like best …

LOTH

Dearest!…

The exchange of kisses and of mutual contemplation is repeated.

HELEN

[Held tight in LOTH'S arms, resting her head on his shoulder, looking up at him with dim, happy eyes, whispers ecstatically.] Oh, how beautiful! How beautiful!

LOTH

To die with you—thus …

HELEN

[Passionately.] To live!… [She disengages herself from his embrace.] Why die now?… now …

LOTH

Yon must not misunderstand me. Always, in happy moments, it has come over me with a sense of intoxication—the consciousness of the fact that it is in our power, in my power, to embrace—you understand?

HELEN

To embrace death, if you desired it?

LOTH

[Quite devoid of sentimentality.] Yes! And the thought of death has nothing horrible in it for me. On the contrary, it seems like the thought of a friend. One calls and knows surely that death will come. And so one can rise above so many, many things—above one's past, above one's future fate … [Looking at HELEN'S hand.] What a lovely hand you have.

[He caresses it.

HELEN

Ah, yes!—so!…

[She nestles anew in his arms.

LOTH

No, do you know, I haven't really lived—until now!

HELEN

Do you think I have?… And I feel faint—faint with happiness. Dear God, how suddenly it all came …

LOTH

Yes, it came all at once …

HELEN

Listen, I feel this way: all the days of my life are like one day; but yesterday and to-day are like a year—a whole year!

LOTH

Didn't I come till yesterday?

HELEN

Of course not! Naturally! That's just it!… Oh, and you don't even know it!

LOTH

And surely it seems to me …

HELEN

Doesn't it? Like a whole, long year! Doesn't it? [Half jumping up.]
Wait…! Don't you hear … [They move away from each other.] Oh, but
I don't care one bit! I am so full of courage now.

[She remains seated and invites LOTH with her eyes to move nearer, which he does.

HELEN

[In LOTH'S arms.] Dear, what are we going to do first?

LOTH

Your step-mother, I suppose, would send me packing.

HELEN

Oh, my step-mother … that won't matter … it doesn't even concern her!
I do as I please! I have my mother's fortune, you must know.

LOTH

Did you think on that account …

HELEN

I am of age; father will have to give me my share.

LOTH

You are not, then, on good terms with everyone here?—Where has your father gone to?

HELEN

Gone? You have?… Oh, you haven't seen my father yet?

LOTH

No; Hoffmann told me….

HELEN

Surely, you saw him once.

LOTH

Not that I know of. Where, dearest?

HELEN

I…. [She bursts into tears.] No, I can't. I can't tell you … it's too, too fearful!

LOTH

So fearful? But, Helen, is anything wrong with your father?

HELEN

Oh, don't ask me! Not now, at least! Some time…!

LOTH

I will not urge you to tell me anything, dear, that you don't voluntarily speak of. And, look, as far as the money is concerned … if the worst came … though I don't exactly earn superfluous cash with my articles—still, in the end, we could both manage to exist on it.

HELEN

And I wouldn't be idle either, would I? But the other way is better. My inheritance Is more than enough.—And there's your life work … no, you're not to give that up under any circumstances … now less than ever …! Now you're to have your real chance to pursue it!

LOTH

[Kissing her tenderly.] Dearest, best …

HELEN

Oh, do you truly care…? Truly? Truly?

LOTH

Truly.

HELEN

You must say truly a hundred times.

LOTH

Truly and truly and truthfully.

HELEN

Oh, now, you're not playing fair!

LOTH

I am, though. That truthfully is equal to a hundred trulys.

HELEN

Oh? Is that the custom in Berlin?

LOTH

No, but it is here in Witzdorf.

HELEN

Oh! But now, look at my little finger and don't laugh.

LOTH

Gladly.

HELEN

Did you ever love any one before your first betrothed? Oh, now you are laughing!

LOTH

I will tell you in all seriousness, dearest; indeed, I think it is my duty…. In the course of my life a considerable number of women….

HELEN

[With a quick and violent start, pressing her hand over his mouth.] For the love of…. Tell me that some day, later, when we are old, when the years have passed, when I shall say to you: "now!" Do you hear! Not before!

LOTH

Just as you will.

HELEN

Rather tell me something sweet now!… Listen: repeat after me:

LOTH

What?

HELEN

I have loved—

LOTH

I have loved—

HELEN

Always you only—

LOTH

Always you only—

HELEN

All the days of my life—

LOTH

All the days of my life—

HELEN

And will love you only as long as I live—

LOTH

And will love you only as long as I live—and that is true so surely as I am an honest man.

HELEN

[Joyfully.] I didn't add that!

LOTH

But I did.

[They kiss each other.

HELEN

[Hums very softly.] "Thou in my heart art lying …"

LOTH

But now you must confess too.

HELEN

Anything you like.

LOTH

Confess now! Am I the first?

HELEN

No.

LOTH

Who?

HELEN

[Laughing out in the fullness of her joy.] Willy Kahl!

LOTH

[Laughing.] Who else?

HELEN

Oh, no, there's no one else really. You must believe me … Truly there wasn't. Why should I tell you a falsehood?

LOTH

So there was someone else?

HELEN

[Passionately.] Oh, please, please, please, don't ask me now.

[She hides her face in her hands and weeps apparently without any reason.

LOTH

But … but Nellie! I'm not insistent; I don't want to …

HELEN

Later … I'll tell you later … not now!

LOTH

As I said before, dearest.

HELEN

There was some one—I want you to know—whom I … because … because among wicked people he seemed the least wicked. Oh, it is so different now. [Weeping against LOTH'S neck: stormily.] Ah, if I only didn't have to leave you at all any more! Oh, if I could only go away with you right here on the spot!

LOTH

I suppose you have a very unhappy time in the house here?

HELEN

Oh, dear!—It's just frightful—the things that happen here. It's a life like—that … like that of the beasts of the field—Oh, I would have died without you. I shudder to think of it!

LOTH

I believe it would calm you, dearest, if you would tell me everything quite openly.

HELEN

Yes, to be sure. But I don't think I can bear to. Not now, at least, not yet. And I'm really afraid to.

LOTH

You were at boarding-school, weren't you?

HELEN

My mother decided that I be sent—on her death-bed.

LOTH

Was your sister there with you?

HELEN

No, she was always at home … And so when, four years ago, I came back from school, I found a father—who … a step-mother—who … a sister … guess, can't you guess what I mean!

LOTH

I suppose your step-mother is quarrelsome? Perhaps jealous? unloving?

HELEN

My father…?

LOTH

Well, in all probability he dances to her music. Perhaps she tyrannises over him?

HELEN

Oh, if it were nothing else?… No! It is too frightful!—You can't possibly guess that that … my father … that it was my father whom you …

LOTH

Don't weep, Nellie!… Look, you almost make me feel as though I ought to insist that you tell …

HELEN

No, no, it isn't possible. I haven't the strength!—not yet!

LOTH

But you're wearing yourself out this way!

HELEN

But I'm so ashamed, so boundlessly ashamed! Why, you will drive me from you in horror…! It's beyond anything…! It's loathsome!

LOTH

Nellie, dear, you don't know me if you can think such things of me!
Repulse you! Drive you from me! Do I seem such a brute to you?

HELEN

My brother-in-law said that you would quite calmly … But no, no, you wouldn't? Would you?—You wouldn't just ruthlessly walk over me? Oh! you won't! You mustn't! I don't know what would become of me!

LOTH

But, dear, it's senseless to talk so. There's no earthly reason!

HELEN

But if there were a reason, it might happen!

LOTH

No! Not at all!

HELEN

But if you could think of a reason?

LOTH

There are reasons, to be sure; but they're not in question.

HELEN

And what kind of reasons?

LOTH

I would have to be ruthless only toward some one who would make me betray my own most ideal self.

HELEN

And surely, I wouldn't want to do that! And yet I can't rid myself of the feeling—

LOTH

What feeling, dearest?

HELEN

Perhaps it's just because I'm nothing but a silly girl. There's so little to me—Why, I don't even know what it is—to have principles! Isn't that frightful? But I just simply love you so! And you're so good, and so great, and so very wise! I'm so afraid that you might, sometime, discover—when I say something foolish, or do something—that it's all a mistake, that I'm much too silly for you … I'm really as worthless and as silly as I can be!

LOTH

What shall I say to all that? You're everything to me, just everything in the whole world. I can't say more!

HELEN

And I'm very strong and healthy, too …

LOTH

Tell me, are your parents in good health?

HELEN

Indeed they are. That is, mother died in childbirth. But father is still well; in fact he must have a very strong constitution. But …

LOTH

Well, you see. Everything is …

HELEN

But if my parents were not strong—;

LOTH

[Kissing HELEN.] But then, they are, dear.

HELEN

But suppose they were not—?

MRS. KRAUSE pushes open a window in the house and calls out into the yard.

MRS. KRAUSE

Hey! Girls! Gi—rls!

LIESE

[From within the cow-shed.] Yes, Missis?

MRS. KRAUSE

Run to Mueller's! It's startin'!

LIESE

What! To the midwife, ye mean?

MRS. KRAUSE

Are ye standin' on your ear?

[She slams the window.

LIESE runs out of the cow-shed with a little shawl over her head and then out of the yard.

MRS. SPILLER

[Calls.] Miss Helen! Oh, Miss Helen!

HELEN

What do you suppose is—?

MRS. SPILLER

[Approaching the arbour.] Miss Helen!

HELEN

Oh, I know. It's my sister who—You must go, 'round that way!

[LOTH withdraws rapidly by the right foreground. HELEN steps out from the arbour.

MRS. SPILLER

Oh, Miss, there you are at last!

HELEN

What is it?

MRS. SPILLER

Ah—m—your sister.

[She whispers into HELEN'S ear.

HELEN

My brother-in-law ordered that the doctor be sent for at any sign of—

MRS. SPILLER

Oh—m—dear Miss Helen—m—she doesn't really want a doctor. These doctors—m—oh, these doctors—m—with God's help …

MIELE comes from the house.

HELEN

Miele, go at once for Dr. Schimmelpfennig!

MRS. KRAUSE

[From the window, arrogantly.] Miele! You come up here!

HELEN

[In a tone of command.] Miele, you go for the doctor! [MIELE withdraws into the house.] Well, then I must go myself …

[She goes into the house and comes back out at once carrying her straw hat.

MRS. SPILLER

It'll go wrong—m—If you call the doctor, dear Miss Helen,—m—it will surely go wrong!

HELEN passes her by. MRS. SPILLER withdraws into the house, shaking her head. As HELEN turns at the driveway KAHL is standing at the boundary fence.

KAHL

[Calls out to HELEN.] What's the matter over at your place?

HELEN does not stop, nor does she deign to notice or answer KAHL.

KAHL

[Laughing.] I guess ye got a pig killin'?

CURTAIN