David Belasco

“ April weather furnished a natural reason for raising and lowering the lights—that the dead could come and go at will, seen or unseen. The passing rain-storms blended with the tears of those weeping for their loved ones. A man who comes back must not have a commonplace name—a name suggestive of comedy—and I think I must have read over every Dutch name that ever came out of Holland before I selected the name of "Peter Grimm." It was chosen because it suggested (to me) a stubborn old man with a sense of justice—whose spirit would return to right a wrong and adjust his household affairs. ”

“ JAMES. I hope you'll be happy, Catherine.
CATHERINE. James, Uncle died smiling at me—thinking of me ... and just before he went, he gave me his mother's wedding ring and asked me to marry Frederik. I shall never forget how happy he was when I promised. That was all he wanted. His last smile was for me ... and there he sat—still smiling after he was gone ... the smile of a man leaving the world perfectly satisfied—at peace. It's like a hand on my heart—hurting it— when I question anything he wanted. ”

“ They go up together, CATHERINE carrying a candle into the dark vestibule. The moment they disappear, a lamp standing on the piano goes out as though the draught from the door or an unseen hand had extinguished it. It is now quite dark outside, and the moon is hidden for a moment. At the same time, a light, seemingly coming from nowhere, reveals PETER GRIMM standing in the room at the door—as though he had been there when the young people passed out. He is smiling and happy. The moon is not seen, but the light of it (as though it had come out from behind a cloud) now reveals the old windmill. ”

“ Frederik winced as though he had been lashed across the face.
"I sometimes wonder," continued McPherson, urged to fresh vehemence by sight of the effect he was scoring, "if hell holds a worse criminal or a more mercilessly punished one than the man or woman who lets a little child suffer needlessly—who makes it suffer. And of all the suffering that can be heaped upon a child, everything else is like a feather's weight compared to sending it out in life with a name such as Willem would have borne. Oh, but God's merciful when He finds little children crying in the dark and leads them Home! ”

“ He is here—alive! More alive than ever he was. A thousandfold more alive. All his age and weaknesses and faults are gone. Youth is glowing in his heart. He is bathed in it. It radiates from him. Eternal Youth that no one still on earth can know. Oh, little girl of mine, if only I could tell you what is ahead of you! It's the wonderful secret of the Universe. And you won't hear me? You won't understand?"
Still smiling, but without turning toward the loving, eager Spirit close beside her, Kathrien was looking out into the fragrant June dusk. ”

“ Think of what most of us have to endure before we know better! Why, William, you're going into the circus without paying for a ticket. You're laying down the burden before you climb the hill. And in your case, William, you are fortunate indeed; for there are some little soldiers in this world already handicapped when they begin the battle of life.... Their parents haven't fitted them for the struggle.... Like little moon moths,—they look in at the windows; they beat at the panes; they see the lights of happy firesides—the lights of home ”

“ I hope you quite understand, Hartmann, that I keep quiet only through fear of wounding him and not with any fear that he might bequeath the business elsewhere."
"Quite," returned Hartmann drily. "That's why I keep my mouth shut when he holds you up to me as a paragon of zeal and industry and asks me why I don't pattern myself after you. But, for all that, you're taking chances when you talk to me about him as you do."
"I'm not," contradicted Frederik. "I may not know botany. But I know men. You love me about as much as you love smallpox. But you belong to the breed that doesn't tell tales. ”

“ The midday sunlight gushed in unchecked through the wide windows, flooding the room with a glory of hazy golden light; bathing the dark old furniture with tints of rich warmth; glowing upon the roses that were arranged on desk and piano.
The Dutch clock on the wall struck twelve. A [Pg 122] moment later, the little clock on the mantel jinglingly endorsed the sentiment. Then, save for the drowsy droning of the bees among the blossoms outside the open windows, there was no sound in all Grimm's world.
Even Kathrien and Frederik seemed silenced by the spell of summer noon magic. ”

“ That's the glory of a circus. It's almost the one place where people can go and forget they were ever meant to be wise. And that's why I am going. That and because I wouldn't disappoint Willem. Miss a circus? Miss Billy Miller's Big Show? Not I. You may be too old for such follies, Fritz. But I'll never be."
"But, sir," said Frederik, "in case you should be taken ill——"
"I won't be."
"With no companion but that half-witted——"
"Willem is not half-witted. He has as much sense as any boy of his age. And more, in many ways. Why do you dislike him so, Fritz?" ”

“ Why should you wreck your life to carry out his pig-headed plans?"
"Oh!"
"Not strong enough yet," advised Peter Grimm. "Go on, lad."
"You are going to be wretched for the rest of your days, just to please a dead man who can't even know about it," insisted Hartmann. "Or if he does know, you may be certain he sees the affair more sanely by this time and is bitterly sorry he made you promise."
"He assuredly is," acquiesced Peter Grimm. "I wish I'd known in other days that you had so much sense. Go ahead!"
"You mustn't speak so, James," reproved Kathrien, deeply shocked. ”

“ Some of the great scientists of the day are of the same opinion.
PETER. Bah! Dreamers! They accomplish nothing in the world. They waste their lives dreaming of the world to come.
DR. MACPHERSON. You can't call Sir Charles Crookes, the inventor of Crookes Tubes,—a waster? Nor Sir Oliver Lodge, the great biologist; nor Curie, the discoverer of radium; nor Doctor Lombroso, the founder of Science of Criminology; nor Doctors Maxwell, deVesmé, Richet, Professor James, of Harvard, and our own Professor Hyslop. Instead of laughing at ghosts, the scientific men of to-day are trying to lay hold of them. ”

“ There was a half-smile on her lips. Peter Grimm's own eyes reflected her smile as he stroked her hair and continued to look down into her rapt face as though to impress its every detail upon his memory.
"Here on sunny, blossoming days," he went on, "when you look out on my old gardens, as a happy wife, all the flowers and trees and shrubs shall bloom enchanted to your eyes. For, love gives a heaven-light to everything. And when the home we love is our own, it becomes doubly fair." ”

“ How's Willem?"
Kathrien tried to hide her tears; but it was impossible to elude the keen eyes of Dr. McPherson. In one quick glance he caught the situation.
"What's the matter?" he said curtly.
"Nothing," said Kathrien in a voice whose tremble she could not control; yet bravely wiping away her tears as she spoke. "I was only thinking—I was hoping that those we love—and lose—can't see us here. I'm beginning to believe there's not much happiness in this world."
The doctor looked at her with affectionate reproof, much as if she had been a naughty child. ”

“ He moved across to the rack, as if by lifelong instinct, and hung his antique hat on its accustomed peg. The simple, everyday action brought him so vividly close to older days that, as Marta pottered in with another newly filled lamp, he accosted her.
"Marta!" he called, as she gave no sign of recognition to his kindly nod and smile.
She set down the lamp in its place on the piano, crossed to the pulley-weight clock, and noisily wound it. As the old woman started back toward her kitchen, the Dead Man put himself once more in her way. ”

“ We've heard the truth. We had that message from Peter Grimm himself.
CATHERINE. Yes, it is true. I believe Uncle Peter Grimm was in this room to-night.
FREDERIK. [Not surprised—glancing towards the spot where PETER stood when he thought he saw him.] Oh! You, too? Did you see him, too?
MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. [Incredulously.] Impossible!
CATHERINE. I don't care what anyone else may think—people have the right to think for themselves; but I believe he has been here—he is here. Uncle Peter, if you can hear me now, give me back my promise—or—or I'll take it back! ”

“ There are occasions with most of us when the unanswerable Why and Whence obtrudes itself on our vision, but it is a fleeting impression which vanishes with the rising of the sun on the day's work. The wonder and mystery of life may come home to us at the birth of a child or the death of a loved one, but we soon cease to marvel at the miracle of the former and a new joy banishes grief. ”

“ JAMES. [Pleased and surprised.] Thank you, sir—yes, sir.
PETER. It's a roast goose—cooked sweet, James. [Smacks his lips.] Fresh green herbs in the dressing and a Figaro pudding. Marta brought over that pudding receipt from Holland.
MARTA, an old family servant, has entered with the air of having forgotten to wind the clock. She smiles happily at PETER'S allusion to her puddings, attends to the old clock, and passes of with CATHERINE. PETER sits at the desk, glancing over the mail.
PETER. Katie's blossoming like a rose. Have you noticed how she's coming out lately, James?
JAMES. Yes, sir. ”

“ Grimm turned slowly to the doctor, who still stood glowering, red, speechless, furiously miserable.
"Andrew," asked Grimm quietly, "what did you mean?"
Before McPherson could speak, Grimm checked him with a move of the head and glanced down at the boy.
"Never mind just now," said he. "Willem didn't mean any harm in telling me. It just popped out, didn't it, Willem? The only person who never says the wrong thing at the wrong time is a deaf mute whose fingers are paralysed. We'll forget all about it. Now run along, lad, and get those circus tickets before all the best ones are gone. ”

“ He seemed to be entreating the Unseen in his clamour of wild, hopeless appeal.
"Has it all been for nothing?" he wailed. "Must we forever stand or fall by the mistakes we make in this world? Is there no second chance?"
Frederik shook his head angrily as though to banish clinging unwelcome thoughts from his brain, got up and crossed to the sideboard, where he poured himself a double drink of liquor and swigged it down with feverish eagerness.
As he left the desk, Marta entered from the kitchen with the light supper he had ordered:—coffee, with sugar and cream, and a plate of little cakes. ”

“ Fritz? Is there anything you need to-day, Katie?
CATHERINE. No, Uncle Peter, I have everything I need, thank you.
PETER. Not everything,—not everything, my dear. [Smiling at FREDERIK. JAMES, ignored, is standing in the background.] Wait! Wait till I give you a husband. I have my plans. [Looking from FREDERIK to CATHERINE.] People don't always know what I'm doing, but I'm a great man for planning. Come, Katie, tell me, on this fine spring morning, what sort of husband would you prefer?
CATHERINE. [Annoyed,—with girlish impatience.] You're always speaking of weddings, Uncle Peter. ”

“ It is only the thing that means Beauty and Strength and Hope. It is the thing we all despise as long as we have it and would give our souls to get back as soon as we have lost it. No, as you say, Youth doesn't amount to much. It is only the nearest approach to Immortality that mortals have ever known. Why, where should I be now,—a grouchy old bachelor like me—without Youth in my house? Why, Frederik, this girl has made me feel kindlier toward all other women."
"Oh, I have, have I?" demanded Kathrien, "that's more than I bargained for." ”

“ JAMES. Poor father! He's very much disappointed. Father has worked in the dirt in overalls—a gardener—all his life; and, of course, he over-estimates an education. He's far more intelligent than most of our college professors.
CATHERINE. I understand why you came back. You simply must live where things grow, mustn't you, James? So must I. Have you seen our orchids?
JAMES. Orchids are pretty; but they're doing wonderful things with potatoes these days. I'd rather improve the breed of a squash than to have an orchid named after me. ”

“ It's worth living for, lad. Speak! Make haste and call her, Fritz. [FREDERIK takes several steps—then turns back to the desk. He tears the letter in two, muttering to himself, "Damn the woman," and sinks into his chair.] Frederik Grimm, stand up before me! [FREDERIK starts to rise, but changes his mind.] Stand up! [FREDERIK rises—not knowing why he has risen. PETER points an accusing finger at FREDERIK.] Liar to the dead! Cheat, thief, hypocrite! You sha'n't have my little girl. You only want her for a week, a day, an hour. ”

“ How I shall love to see you look fondly at each other as you say: "Be happy, Jim—you've worked hard for this;" or James says: "Take your comfort, little mother, let them all wait upon you—you waited upon them. Lean back in your carriage—you've earned it!" And towards the end— [Sitting on a chair by her side and looking into her face.] after all the luxuries and vanities and possessions cease to be so important—people return to very simple things, dear. The evening of life comes bearing its own lamp. ”