Hermann Sudermann

“ After a short pause, Julia appears at the large door in the centre. She tries to go further, fails, supports herself against the door posts for an instant, and then reels into the room. She attempts to lean against the small table in the centre, but falls to the floor, dying. As she falls the small table is upset, burying her beneath a shower of roses.
Through the doorway at the left, Wittich is heard, sobbing and groaning. In the distance Pierre is shouting for help. The sound of many voices, growing louder as the curtain falls. ”

“ The Princess.
Are you absolutely certain that that is the princess?
Strübel.
Why, who else could it be?
The Princess.
Oh, 'round about a princess like that--there are such a lot of people. For instance, there is her waiting-woman, there's the seamstress and her assistants, there's----
Strübel.
But my dear young lady, if you only understood anything about these matters, you would have been certain at the very first glance that it was she--and no one else. Observe the nobility in every motion--the queenly grace with which she bends over the embroidery-frame----
The Princess. ”

“ Ebeling (brushing away the petals) .
What have the roses done to you, my child?
Margot.
I sent them to you. I, too, may destroy them.
Ebeling (springing up) .
It was you, you who all these years----?
Margot.
Good evening, Herr Ebeling. (She goes out.)
Ebeling.
(Pauses for a moment irresolutely, struggling with himself, then hurries after her. His voice is heard.) Stay here! Stay here! Come in here! (He reappears at the centre door, pulling her by the arm.) Come in here! Come back!
Margot.
What do you want of me? I'll cry for help----
Ebeling. ”

“ Margot.
Oh, there's the stand with the horrible law books! (Sighing.) Ah, Herr Ebeling, everything in life is Law--and everything is in books.
Ebeling.
My dear young girl, the hardest laws are never to be found in books.
Margot.
Yes, you are right. The laws that drag us down to destruction are the laws that we make for ourselves. And all those beautiful women! I suppose one must be very beautiful to join them?
Ebeling (parrying lightly) .
Most of them are clients who have presented me with their pictures as a token of gratitude.
Margot. ”

“ My love for you has never left my heart.--My one desire is to die. Kill me!--Here!--Now!--But forgive me! Ah, forgive me!
Wittich (staring straight ahead) .
Yes, they always talk like that--in books, at least.
Julia.
Forgive me!
Wittich.
There is nothing to forgive. And I am not going to kill any one. What good would it do? (Julia sobs, hiding her face in her hands.)
Pierre.
Well, then--don't kneel there--like that--Julia, dear!
Julia.
I shall lie here until he raises me. Raise me! Take me in your arms! Oh, George----
Wittich. ”

“ Pierre.
Herr Wittich can't possibly deny that!
Wittich.
You shall have your own way as far as it lies in my power, Julia, dear.
Julia.
And then, you must try to bring a little more--more beauty into our life.--I surely have the right to demand that. Just look about you here. You know how passionately fond of roses I am. My soul demands something besides--potatoes! Well, I insist upon having roses around me. That's not unreasonable, is it?
Wittich.
You shall have roses enough to smother you. ”

“ When some day I shall be explaining Ovid to the beginners, or perhaps even reading Horace with the more advanced classes--no, it's better for the present not to think of reaching any such dizzy heights of greatness--well, then I shall always be saying to myself with a smile of satisfaction, "You, too, were one of those confounded artist fellows--why, you once went so far as to love a princess!" ”

“ Julia.
I'll write him a letter something like this: "If you want to find the traces of my flight, search the rubbish heap behind the lover's pavilion. Search for the faded petals of the roses upon which, night after night, Pierre and I celebrated our union. Search the highway for the bloody prints of my bare feet after he turned me out. Then search the dregs of the brothels where I found a refuge. And then--then avenge me!"
Pierre.
You'll do nothing of the kind, you-- (Seizes her by the wrists.)
Julia (laughing) .
Nonsense! You have no strength! (Disengages herself without difficulty.) ”

“ Herr von Wolters, will you be my guide, my confidant--my friend?
v. Wolters.
Countess! My dear, dear Countess!
The Lady (softly) .
But you're not to----
v. Wolters.
Forgive me. Your kindness to me makes me feel so--confused--I----
The Lady.
Why should it? I feel certain that if he could see us at this moment, he himself would join our hands together.
v. Wolters.
Countess, if you ever need a man who would let himself be torn to pieces for you----
The Lady. ”

“ I should be safe once more--a human being!--I should see the sun again, instead of these streaks of light!--I should breathe the fresh air, instead of this musty odour of dead roses!--I shouldn't have to sink down, down into the filth!--I shouldn't have to be a bad woman--even if I am one!--There would be a respectable divorce--or perhaps merely a separation. ”

“ The will is to be opened in a few days, Countess. He has doubtless inserted a clause authorising me as executor to return certain papers to their owners--or destroy them.
The Lady.
Ah, I see you're a Puritan, after all.--No, no, I'll not trouble your conscience. This loyalty which you bear him to the very grave is so beautiful, so poetical, and I feel so near to you because of it-- (Putting her hand over her eyes.) Oh, those curtains in front of the mirrors! They make me feel as if I were dead myself, (v. Wolters is about to tear them down.) No, no--don't. Thanks. ”

“ Can one picture anything more horrible? (Shudders again.) Do you know of any occupation for me, Herr Ebeling?
Ebeling.
Occupation? Why?
Margot.
I want to leave home.
Ebeling
Is that your earnest intention?
Margot (nods) .
But, unfortunately, I've learned nothing. And then--it has to be an occupation that wouldn't humiliate me--and that wouldn't spoil my hands (takes off her gloves) , for I love my hands. I don't care a bit about my face, but my hands--they're like two friends. I can keep up long conversations with them--especially with the left. That one's so weak. ”

“ In the morning a great many people are always lurking around the Springs trying to catch a glimpse of her. I myself have gotten up at six o'clock a couple of times--on the same errand--and if you knew me better, you'd realise what that meant. But not a sign of her! Either she has the stuff brought to her house, or she has the power of making herself invisible. (The Princess turns aside to conceal a smile.) ”

“ Rosa, dressed in the costume of the country, is arranging flowers on the small tables. Frau Lindemann, a handsome, stoutish woman in the thirties, hurries in excitedly from the left.
Frau Lindemann.
There! Now she can come--curtains, bedding--everything fresh and clean as new! No, this honour, this unexpected honour--! Barons and counts have been here often enough. Even the Russian princes sometimes come up from the Springs. I don't bother my head about them--they're just like--that!--But a princess--a real princess! ”

“ In the middle of the stage, a little to the right, a chaise-longue. At the head of it, a small table. Between the large door and the windows, dusty marble busts on dilapidated pedestals. Above them, on the walls, a collection of various sorts of weapons. The Oriental rugs which are thrown about the floor and over the chaise-longue contrast strangely with the faded splendour of the past.
The whole room is decorated with roses. On the table at the left is a bronze vessel of antique design overflowing with roses. Garlands of roses hang from the chandelier and encircle the bedposts. ”

“ On the small table near the chaise-longue, a large, flat dish, also filled with roses. In fact wherever there is any place for these flowers, they have been used in profusion.
Part of the table which stands in front of the sofa is covered by a napkin, upon which are seen a bottle of wine and the remains of a luncheon for one. It is a sultry afternoon in midsummer.
Julia lies on the chaise-longue, asleep. She is a beautiful woman, about twenty-five years of age, intractable and passionate, with traces of a bourgeois desire to be "romantic." ”

“ What is it, dear? (The Princess shakes her head.) And then think of the strain of those formal presentations awaiting you in the autumn! You must grow strong. Remember that you must be equal to the most exacting demands of life. ”

“ Good-bye. (Sits down in the writing-chair. A pause.)
Margot.
(Does not move. Her face becomes hard and bitter.) And now that you see what sort I am----H'm, yes. Ah, well, you'll soon console yourself. There are so many others. Why should it be just I? Let me suggest one of my friends--a dear--a pretty girl--with white teeth. Why take it to heart? It hurts for the moment--but one easily forgets. Such girls as I deserve nothing better. To them--one does this! (Plucks the petals from the roses which are standing before her in the vase.) ”

“ I wanted to lay my roses on his breast. Ah, Herr von Wolters, I loved that man with an infinite love. Perhaps grief will give my life a new and holier meaning--who knows? We seek beauty--and find grief. Tell me, Herr von Wolters, you were his best friend, did you never suspect----?
v. Wolters.
Never, never.
The Lady.
And when you received my letter early this morning asking you to come at once--not even then?
v. Wolters.
I could draw--various conclusions--from that.
The Lady.
For instance----?
v. Wolters.
Oh, please--really, you must excuse me----
The Lady. ”

“ My husband warned me against him long ago. "That scoundrel will compromise you some day," he said, "and then I'll have to fight a duel with him." Instead--this! Oh, you poor, poor darling! And now, when all was so quiet and peaceful between us!
v. Wolters.
My dear Countess, if you think that the change which came over him in the last few months betokened peace and quiet----
The Lady (nervously) .
I don't know anything about that! It wasn't my fault! Was I to blame if he insisted on having notions? Tell me one thing, Herr von Wolters, did he die easily?
v. Wolters.
No one dies easily, Countess. ”

“ Rosa.
Perhaps it isn't a real princess after all.
Frau Lindemann (indignantly) .
What? What do you mean by that!
Rosa.
I was only thinking that a real princess wouldn't be coming to an inn like this. Real princesses won't lie on anything but silks and velvets. You just wait and see; it's a trick!
Frau Lindemann.
Are you going to pretend that the letter isn't genuine;--that the letter is a forgery?
Rosa.
Maybe one of the regular customers is playing a joke. That student, Herr Strübel, he's always joking. (Giggles.) ”

“ When Herr Strübel makes a joke, he makes a decent joke, a real, genuine joke. Oh, of course one has to pretend to be angry sometimes--but as for writing a forged letter--My land!--a letter with a gold crown on it--there! (She takes a letter from her waist, and reads.) "This afternoon, Her Highness, the Princess von Geldern, will stop at the Fairview Inn, to rest an hour or so before making the descent to the Springs. ”

“ The Lady.
No, no. Never mind. I want to ask you something, Herr von Wolters. Tell me, what do you think of me?
v. Wolters (confused) .
What do you mean, Countess?
The Lady.
I want to know what I have done that I should be doomed to bring so much sorrow into the lives of others. I had only just left school when a strange young man shot himself under my window. It was on my account that my husband was transferred here from his former garrison. Tell me, what mark of Cain do I bear that all men follow me? I dress as simply as I can. I never go out without a double veil. ”

“ Daisy.
Yes, mother, dear. (Goes out, left.)
Frau Mulbridge.
Now that the child isn't here--tell me, Herr Kellermann, do you know anything about the cause of the duel? We're all groping in the dark here at the house.
Kellermann.
Well, they're saying all sorts of things. But the dead are my friends. I never say anything against them. It's a business principle with me. ”

“ Just see here--how am I to face a princess? I'm an ordinary fellow, the son of poor folks. I haven't polished manners--I haven't even a decent tailor. A lady like that--why, she'd measure me from top to toe in one glance.--I've had my lessons in the fine houses where I've applied as tutor. ”

“ Two hundred metres up and down every time! Isn't that very hard on you? Heavens! And you look so pale! See here, my dear young lady, don't you do it. It would be better for you to go down there--that is-- Oh, forgive me! I've been talking without thinking. Of course, you have your own reasons-- It's decidedly cheaper up here. I know how to value a thing of that sort. I've never had any money in all my life!
The Princess (trying to seem practical) .
But when one comes to a watering-place, one must have money. ”

“ My dear Countess, when a woman is as beauti-- I mean, that when a woman is the centre of so much interest, it's not surprising that some notice was taken of the attentions which he--
The Lady (somewhat impatiently) . ”

“ Must all our work count for nothing--your work, my work? For I have worked over her with all my powers, I need not hesitate to say it, worked to place her again on those spiritual heights where a young girl of family by right belongs. ”