Maurice Maeterlinck

“ Yielding to the wishes of Lieutenant Otto Hilmer, I will be satisfied with a single victim. Let me have no cause to regret my clemency and my moderation.
The Burgomaster I repeat what I said to the men who arrested him: it is quite impossible for old Claus, my head-gardener, to have committed the crime. He has been in my service for over forty years; and I can answer for him as I would for myself. He is the gentlest of men, the most patient, the most harmless. ”

“ Isabelle Otto!
Otto But, after all, it’s true! You can see for yourself, we are surrounded by enemies and traitors; we are surrounded by hatred on every side; we live in a perpetual trap; our lives hang by a thread; and every one of us can expect a bullet through his head at any moment. It is only natural that we should protect ourselves, when we are treated like this! I think the Major’s decision most reasonable, most fair, most humane. He had the right, it was almost his duty, in fact, to put the whole town to death; and he is contented with a single victim. ”

“ I gathered that, if need be, he will cease to demand that you should declare Claus guilty. It will be enough for you to keep quiet, to make no fuss and not to protest the man’s innocence. You have only to know nothing of what happens.
The Burgomaster Indeed? And you, what would you do in my place?
Otto I should not hesitate. After all, as there are two innocent men, why should you, who are unquestionably the more innocent of the two, be the one to suffer? We are at war; war brings strokes of good and bad luck which have nothing in common with the chances of ordinary life. ”

“ Isabelle Something worse? Worse than what? What can be worse than death?
Otto Yes, he has discovered something worse; and perhaps it is not his fault. He is, as we all are, the slave of discipline and of the military regulations. He does not like me as much, perhaps, as he liked von Schaunberg, for I don’t belong to his class. But I do not believe that he wishes me any ill. He was always a little distant to me, perhaps, but on the whole, up to now, he has been very just. He is not a bad sort of man; he is one of our most humane officers; but what he wants to make me do is terrible. ”

“ The child that is to be born must not become the last and most sorrowful victim of this tragedy. I know that, at first, life will be very sad for you and very difficult. Wait patiently. Listen humbly to what it says. Life is always right. It is full of indulgence and good-will and very soon forgets what should be forgotten. (The clock strikes seven.) Seven o’clock. I hear some one knocking at the door. My time is up. They have come to fetch us, Otto. Let us embrace each other for the last time, Isabelle. Come to my arms, Floris. You’re a man now. ”

“ You have lived among us and you know what sort of people we are. How can you stand there and seriously utter such—I don’t know what word to use, or, if I did, it wouldn’t be a pleasant one. Let them tell that sort of humbug to your wretched soldiers, or to a pack of Junkers fuddled with pride and stupidity, but not to a man like yourself! You know the plain, terrible truth as well as I do, just as you know what to think of the hideous massacres at Vise, Andenne, Dinant, Aerschot, Louvain and other places.
Otto Excuse me, it is not the same thing. ”

“ The Burgomaster He permits plenty of other things, my poor Claus; He is permitting everything to-day. The only thing that will happen is my death; and we may think ourselves lucky if nothing worse happens. You know as I do that escape is quite impossible. Otto might try and help me, as a last resort; but then he would be shot in my place; and that would not be fair either. But all hope is not lost. Otto is at this moment making enquiries among his men; that may lead to something. You, in your turn, must collect our labourers and speak to them. You have great influence with them ”

“ Instead of a lingering, troublesome death, a painful, miserable death on a bed, I am offered a quick and sudden end, an honourable end, free from thought or suffering, and one which perhaps will save half the town. I should be mad to hesitate or to regret not dying in my bed. I too have been afraid of death. ”

“ Isabelle It’s nothing; it was the horror of everything that has happened and the anxiety of knowing you to be constantly in danger from the enemy....
The Burgomaster What enemy? It’s he and his friends that are the enemy; and he runs no danger in the midst of them. But I will leave you to yourselves. Call me when you want me. (Exit.)
Isabelle It’s true. I no longer know where I am. I call enemies all who wish you ill; and that means all the people I love. It is too much for a woman’s heart to bear. But it is over now, I hope; and the worst is ended.
Otto No, the worst is beginning. ”

“ The Burgomaster The real criminal? Do you know where you’ve got to look for him? Among your own men! It is simply one of your soldiers who has taken the opportunity to rid himself of an officer who ill-treated him. You yourself told me, before the Major came in, that Lieutenant von Schaunberg was an insufferable lout and that he was generally hated and loathed.
Otto I dare say; but it’s a far cry from that to murder. In any case, I will myself make enquiries on that side; you, on yours, had better question Claus; he may give us a clue that will prove useful. ”

“ The curtain rises on the the Major, the Burgomaster, Otto, the Secretary and Isabelle.
The Major Mr. Burgomaster, Lieutenant Karl von Schaunberg has been murdered on your premises, in your grounds. One of your gardeners has been arrested near the spot where the crime was committed. We may therefore presume him to be the culprit. In any case, I shall consider him such, until I have proof to the contrary; and that is enough. We must make an example; our safety demands it; and our safety outweighs all other considerations. In war-time, the best form of justice is the promptest. ”

“ To expect me to name the criminal among my servants, when I know that it is physically impossible for any of them to be guilty! And, if I do not hand him over before this evening, it means delivering myself to the firing-party!... You must admit that this Major of yours, with his “clemency” and his “moderation,” has a very unpleasant sense of humour. I would rather deal with a brute who runs amuck and destroys everything with fire and sword: then at least I should know where I am.
Otto What would you have him do? As things are, he can hardly act differently. ”

“ Your gardener, therefore, will be shot at seven o’clock precisely, unless between now and then you hand over the person who, in your opinion, is the criminal. You know the character and disposition of your servants better than I do; and you are therefore better able to discover the malefactor. I have it in my power to command the most terrible reprisals. Any one else, in my place, would have ordered the town to be pillaged and set on fire and sentenced a third or a half of the inhabitants to death. ”

“ Otto He always carries his own among his kit. In any case, if all the arms are at the Town-hall, you have no cause for alarm. Do you answer for your servants? Are there no disaffected ones among them?
The Burgomaster What do you call disaffected? They are irritated, incensed, indignant, exasperated, that’s natural enough; but they know how to restrain themselves and are not such fools as to attempt a useless murder, which would entail the destruction of the town and the death of hundreds of innocent victims, as at Dinant, Andenne, Louvain and Aerschot. ”

“ I admit that the violation of Belgium was a regrettable incident; in my opinion it was a mistake, necessary perhaps, from certain points of view, but one which will cost us dear. But I do not admit the massacres. There have been executions of hostages and reprisals necessitated by incessant acts of treachery committed by the civil population. Here and there, perhaps, there has been some excess of zeal; that, unfortunately, is inevitable. ”

“ Floris Tell your horrible Kaiser to put that in his pipe and smoke it!
Otto (Suddenly drawing himself up, in a threatening attitude.) Mind what you’re saying!
The Burgomaster Come, come, stop this fooling and let us talk sense. We must not lose our self-control. The Major is a monster, a brute, anything you please; but, placed as he is, he’s right. He’s obeying the regulations; and, again in his position, he can’t act differently.... I will ask Otto once again, is it quite certain that he will not reconsider his decision? People often change their minds at the last moment ”

“ If the civilians behave properly, they have nothing to fear. Whatever people may say, we are not barbarians. We are, above all things, just; but the necessities of war oblige us to be sometimes severe and always on our guard. In an hour from now I will send for you to the Town-hall to discuss the question of supplies and to fix the war-levy.
The Burgomaster The war-levy? I cannot see that, so far, we have done anything to justify a levy.
The Major I beg your pardon. I may permit you to discuss the amount but not the principle.
Otto (To the Burgomaster.) ”

“ Besides, you will easily find the criminal; you have only to confirm the evidence that points to him. The mere fact of his presence in the wood implies so grave a presumption that you will never destroy it, however hard you try. All you have to do is to leave things alone and not interfere. ”

“ Those upon whom ill-luck falls can only accept their fate. The others are not responsible for an injustice in which they have no more share, in which they take no more part than, let me say, in the injustice of a bridge that breaks down or a factory-chimney that falls to the ground, burying a dozen victims in its ruins. ”

“ The Burgomaster Really? I don’t see one.
Otto To begin with, there’s this: the Major is so thoroughly convinced of Claus’s guilt that he is quite capable of having him shot together with yourself, if you persist in proclaiming his innocence. He has taken it into his head that you are absolutely determined to save Claus from the punishment which he deserves. In reality, he is not at all keen on having you shot ”

“ Lieutenant von Schaunberg! He’s been murdered.
Otto What? Who? Come nearer! What are you saying?
The Soldier He’s dead.
Otto When? How? Send for a doctor. I’ll come down. Perhaps he’s only wounded.
The Soldier No, sir, he has a bullet through his head. They found him lying in the bracken.
Otto Have they arrested the murderer?
The Soldier They’re hunting in the wood. They’ve seen nobody.
Otto (To the Sergeant.) Have sentries posted at all the gates. Quick! quick! Shoot any one at sight who attempts to leave the grounds. He can’t escape. Where’s the Major? ”

“ He’s not responsible and he can’t do what he likes. Besides, it’s all the better for us: as long as he’s here, we’ve nothing to be afraid of.... How are they behaving at Winkel? I hope they haven’t done much harm?
Jean Gilson They hadn’t when I left. They took the burgomaster, the priest and the notary as hostages and declared that they would kill them if a single shot was fired in the village.
The Burgomaster They won’t do that, thanks to Otto. Otto is a kind-hearted chap, who wouldn’t hurt a soul. Besides, I feel certain that their massacres and atrocities have been greatly exaggerated ”

“ Jean Gilson Are they well off, the Hil—what did you say the name was?
The Secretary The Hilmers. They’ve got a factory in the Rhine Province: electrical machinery; it’s the biggest factory in the place. Well, young Hilmer, who’s now Lieutenant Otto, wanted to learn about cultivation of orchids and hot-house grapes, which happens to be the specialty of Van Belle and Co. And Monsieur van Belle’s son was keen on electricity only. So they paired off: young Van Belle went to Cologne and Otto came here. ”

“ Otto (Coming towards her.) But, Isabelle!...
Isabelle (Shrinking back.) Don’t touch me!... Go away!... Don’t touch me!... Go! It’s over ... for good!...
Floris (Stamping his foot.) She’s right! She’s right! She’s right!... Kiss me, kiss me! Let me kiss you!... It’s we two now, you and I!...
The Major (To Otto.) Let them be; I want you. I hear they’re attacking on the Oostwinkel side.... You’ve done your duty, Hilmer. This is incomprehensible. But they’re all more or less mad in this country....
CURTAIN ”

“ The reason why he was found in the little wood where the Lieutenant was killed is that the wood contains a nursery-garden where I myself sent him, this morning, to bud the rose-trees. He had no weapons on him except his pruning-shears and his grafting-knife. ”

“ Please give the Major the large bedroom on the first floor, the one with a balcony overlooking the square, and the sitting-room leading into it. Lieutenant von Schaunberg and I will take the other two spare-rooms. Firmin, show the Major and the Lieutenant to their rooms.
The Major I must beg you, Mr. Burgomaster, to put forward your luncheon hour by thirty minutes. We shall have the honour of taking our seats at your table at twelve o’clock precisely. ”

“ De Cuyper’s Bank will pay us two hundred and fifty thousand francs, Sheriff van den Bulke fifty thousand and Councillor de Rudder seventy-five thousand francs. That makes nearly half a million certain. Sheriff Vermandel will try to get the rest of the money from the town-councillors and the leading inhabitants. You will assist him in his efforts. ”