SCENE FIVESCENE—The photographic “studio” a half hour later that same evening.MOTHERHOLLUNDER,her son,MARIEandWOLFstand in a group back right, their heads together.JULIEstands apart from them, a few paces to the left.YOUNGHOLLUNDER[Who has just come in, tells his story excitedly.] They’re bringing him now. Two workmen from the factory are carrying him on a stretcher.WOLFWhere is the doctor?YOUNGHOLLUNDERA policeman telephoned to headquarters. The police-surgeon ought to be here any minute.MARIEMaybe they’ll pull him through after all.YOUNGHOLLUNDERHe stabbed himself too deep in his chest. But he’s still breathing. He can still talk, too, but very faintly. At first he lay there unconscious, but when they put him on the stretcher he came to.WOLFThat was from the shaking.MARIEWe’d better make room. [They make room. Two workmen carry inLILIOMon a stretcher which has four legs and stands about as high as a bed. They put the stretcher at left directly in front of the sofa, so that the head is at right and the foot at left. Then they unobtrusively join the group at the door. Later, they go out.JULIEis standing at the side of the stretcher, where, without moving, she can seeLILIOM’Sface. The others crowd emotionally together near the door. TheFIRSTPOLICEMANenters.]FIRSTPOLICEMANAre you his wife?JULIEYes.FIRSTPOLICEMANThe doctor at the factory who bandaged him up forbade us to take him to the hospital.—Dangerousto move him that far. What he needs now is rest. Just let him be until the police-surgeon comes. [To the group near the door.] He’s not to be disturbed. [They make way for him. He exits. There is a pause.]WOLF[Gently urging the others out.] Please—it’s best if we all get out of here now. We’ll only be in the way.MARIE[ToJULIE.] Julie, what do you think? [JULIElooks at her without answering.] Julie, can I do anything to help? [JULIEdoes not answer.] We’ll be just outside on the bench if you want us. [MOTHERHOLLUNDERand her son have gone out when first requested. NowMARIEandWOLFexit, too.JULIEsits on the edge of the stretcher and looks atLILIOM. He stretches his hand out to her. She clasps it. It is not quite dark yet. Both of them can still be plainly seen.]LILIOM[Raises himself with difficulty; speaks lightly at first, but later soberly, defiantly.] Little—Julie—there’s something—I want to tell you—like when you go to a restaurant—and you’ve finished eating—and it’s time—to pay—then you have to count up everything—everything you owe—well—I beatyou—not because I was mad at you—no—only because I can’t bear to see anyone crying. You always cried—on my account—and, well, you see,—I never learned a trade—what kind of a caretaker would I make? But anyhow—I wasn’t going back to the carousel to fool with the girls. No, I spit on them all—understand?JULIEYes.LILIOMAnd—as for Hollinger—he’s good enough—Mrs. Muskat can get along all right with him. The jokes he tells are mine—and the people laugh when he tells them—but I don’t care.—I didn’t give you anything—no home—not even the food you ate—but you don’t understand.—It’s true I’m not much good—but I couldn’t be a caretaker—and so I thought maybe it would be better over there—in America—do you see?JULIEYes.LILIOMI’m not asking—forgiveness—I don’t do that—I don’t. Tell the baby—if you like.JULIEYes.LILIOMTell the baby—I wasn’t much good—but tell him—if you ever talk about me—tell him—I thought—perhaps—over in America—but that’s no affair of yours. I’m not asking forgiveness. For my part the police can come now.—If it’s a boy—if it’s a girl.—Perhaps I’ll see the Lord God today.—Do you think I’ll see Him?JULIEYes.LILIOMI’m not afraid—of the police Up There—if they’ll only let me come up in front of the Lord God Himself—not like down here where an officer stops you at the door. If the carpenter asks you—yes—be his wife—marry him. And the child—tell him he’s his father.—He’ll believe you—won’t he?JULIEYes.LILIOMWhen I beat you—I was right.—You mustn’t always think—you mustn’t always be right.—Liliom can be right once, too.—It’s all the same to me who was right.—It’s so dumb. Nobody’s right—but they all think they are right.—A lot they know!JULIEYes.LILIOMJulie—come—hold my hand tight.JULIEI’m holding it tight—all the time.LILIOMTighter, still tighter—I’m going—— [Pauses.] Julie——JULIEGood-bye. [LILIOMsinks slowly back and dies.JULIEfrees her hand.THEDOCTORenters with theFIRSTPOLICEMAN.]DOCTORGood evening. His wife?JULIEYes, sir. [Behind theDOCTORandPOLICEMANenterMARIE, WOLF, MOTHERHOLLUNDER, YOUNGHOLLUNDERandMRS. MUSKAT.They remain respectfully at the doorway. TheDOCTORbends overLILIOMand examines him.]DOCTORA light, if you please. [JULIEfetches a burning candle from the dark room. TheDOCTORexaminesLILIOMbriefly in the candle-light, then turns suddenly away.] Have you pen and ink?WOLF[Proffering a pen.] A fountain-pen—American——DOCTOR[Takes a printed form from his pocket; speaks as he writes out the death-certificate at the little table.] My poor woman, your husband is dead—there’s nothing to be done for him—the good God will help him now—I’ll leave this certificate with you. You will give it to the people from the hospital when they come—I’ll arrange for the body to be removed at once. [Rises.] Please give me a towel and soap.POLICEMANI’ve got them for you out here, sir. [Points to door at back.]DOCTORGod be with you, my good woman.JULIEThank you, sir. [TheDOCTORandPOLICEMANexit. The others slowly draw nearer.]MARIEPoor Julie. May he rest in peace, poor man, but as for you—please don’t be angry with me for saying it—but you’re better off this way.MOTHERHOLLUNDERHe is better off, the poor fellow, and so are you.MARIEMuch better, Julie . . . you are young . . . and one of these days some good man will come along. Am I right?WOLFShe’s right.MARIEJulie, tell me, am I right?JULIEYou are right, dear; you are very good.YOUNGHOLLUNDERThere’s a good man—the carpenter. Oh, I can speak of it now. He comes here every day on some excuse or other—and he never fails to ask for you.MARIEA widower—with two children.MOTHERHOLLUNDERHe’s better off, poor fellow—and so are you. He was a bad man.MARIEHe wasn’t good-hearted. Was he, Wolf?WOLFNo, I must say, he really wasn’t. No, Liliom wasn’t a good man. A good man doesn’t strike a woman.MARIEAm I right? Tell me, Julie, am I right?JULIEYou are right, dear.YOUNGHOLLUNDERIt’s really a good thing for her it happened.MOTHERHOLLUNDERHe’s better off—and so is she.WOLFNow you have your freedom again. How old are you?JULIEEighteen.WOLFEighteen. A mere child! Am I right?JULIEYou are right, Wolf. You are kind.YOUNGHOLLUNDERLucky for you it happened, isn’t it?JULIEYes.YOUNGHOLLUNDERAll you had before was bad luck. If it weren’t for my mother you wouldn’t have had a roof over your head or a bite to eat—and now Autumn’s coming and Winter. You couldn’t have lived in this shack in the Winter time, could you?MARIECertainly not! You’d have frozen like the birds in the fields. Am I right, Julie?JULIEYes, Marie.MARIEA year from now you will have forgotten all about him, won’t you?JULIEYou are right, Marie.WOLFIf you need anything, count on us. We’ll go now. But tomorrow morning we’ll be back. Come, Marie. God be with you. [OffersJULIEhis hand.]JULIEGod be with you.MARIE[EmbracesJULIE,weeping.] It’s the best thing that could have happened to you, Julie, the best thing.JULIEDon’t cry, Marie. [MARIEandWOLFexit.]MOTHERHOLLUNDERI’ll make a little black coffee. You haven’t had a thing to eat today. Then you’ll come home with us. [MOTHERHOLLUNDERand her son exit.MRS. MUSKATcomes over toJULIE.]MRS. MUSKATWould you mind if I—looked at him?JULIEHe used to work for you.MRS. MUSKAT[Contemplates the body; turns toJULIE.] Won’t you make up with me?JULIEI wasn’t angry with you.MRS. MUSKATBut you were. Let’s make it up.JULIE[Raising her voice eagerly, almost triumphantly.] I’ve nothing to make up withyou.MRS. MUSKATBut I have with you. Everyone says hard things against the poor dead boy—except us two. You don’t say he was bad.JULIE[Raising her voice yet higher, this time on a defiant, wholly triumphant note.] Yes, Ido.MRS. MUSKATI understand, my child. But he beat me, too. What does that matter? I’ve forgotten it.JULIE[From now on answers her coldly, drily, without looking at her.] That’s your own affair.MRS. MUSKATIf I can help you in any way——JULIEThere’s nothing I need.MRS. MUSKATI still owe him two kronen, back pay.JULIEYou should have paid him.MRS. MUSKATNow that the poor fellow is dead I thought perhaps it would be the same if I paid you.JULIEI’ve nothing to do with it.MRS. MUSKATAll right. Please don’t think I’m trying to force myself on you. I stayed because we two are the only ones on earth who loved him. That’s why I thought we ought to stick together.JULIENo, thank you.MRS. MUSKATThen you couldn’t have loved him as I did.JULIENo.MRS. MUSKATI loved him better.JULIEYes.MRS. MUSKATGood-bye.JULIEGood-bye. [MRS. MUSKATexits.JULIEputs the candle on the table nearLILIOM’Shead, sits on the edge of the stretcher, looks into the dead man’s face and caresses it tenderly.] Sleep, Liliom, sleep—it’s no business of hers—I never even told you—but now I’ll tell you—now I’ll tell you—you bad, quick-tempered, rough, unhappy, wicked—dearboy—sleep peacefully, Liliom—they can’t understand how I feel—I can’t even explain to you—not even to you—how I feel—you’d only laugh at me—but you can’t hear me any more. [Between tender motherliness and reproach, yet with great love in her voice.] It was wicked of you to beat me—on the breast and on the head and face—but you’re gone now.—You treated me badly—that was wicked of you—but sleep peacefully, Liliom—you bad, bad boy, you—I love you—I never told you before—I was ashamed—but now I’ve told you—I love you, Liliom—sleep—my boy—sleep. [She rises, gets a Bible, sits down near the candle and reads softly to herself, so that, not the words, but an inarticulate murmur is heard. TheCARPENTERenters at back.]CARPENTER[Stands near the door; in the dimness of the room he can scarcely be seen.] Miss Julie——JULIE[Without alarm.] Who is that?CARPENTER[Very slowly.] The carpenter.JULIEWhat does the carpenter want?CARPENTERCan I be of help to you in any way? Shall I stay here with you?JULIE[Gratefully, but firmly.] Don’t stay, carpenter.CARPENTERShall I come back tomorrow?JULIENot tomorrow, either.CARPENTERDon’t be offended, Miss Julie, but I’d like to know—you see, I’m not a young man any more—I have two children—and if I’m to come back any more—I’d like to know—if there’s any use——JULIENo use, carpenter.CARPENTER[As he exits.] God be with you. [JULIEresumes her reading.FICSURenters, slinks furtively sideways to the stretcher, looks atLILIOM,shakes his head.JULIElooks up from her reading.FICSURtakes fright, slinks away from the stretcher, sits down at right, biting his nails.JULIErises.FICSURrises, too, and looks at her half fearfully. With her piercing glance upon him he slinks to the doorway at back, where he pauses and speaks.]FICSURThe old woman asked me to tell you that coffee is ready, and you are to come in. [JULIEgoes to the kitchen door.FICSURwithdraws until she has closed the door behind her. Then he reappears in the doorway, stands on tiptoes, looks atLILIOM,then exits. Now the body lies alone. After a brief silence music is heard, distant at first, but gradually coming nearer. It is very much like the music of the carousel, but slower, graver, more exalted. The melody, too, is the same, yet the tempo is altered and contrapuntal measures of the thieves’ song are intertwined in it. Two men in black, with heavy sticks, soft black hats and black gloves, appear in the doorway at back and stride slowly into the room. Their faces are beardless, marble white, grave and benign. One stops m front of the stretcher, theother a pace to the right. From above a dim violet light illuminates their faces.]THEFIRST[ToLILIOM.] Rise and come with us.THESECOND[Politely.] You’re under arrest.THEFIRST[Somewhat louder, but always in a gentle, low, resonant voice.] Do you hear? Rise. Don’t you hear?THESECONDWe are the police.THEFIRST[Bends down, touchesLILIOM’Sshoulder.] Get up and come with us. [LILIOMslowly sits up.]THESECONDCome along.THEFIRST[Paternally.] These people suppose that when they die all their difficulties are solved for them.THESECOND[Raising his voice sternly.] That simply by thrusting a knife in your heart and making it stopbeating you can leave your wife behind with a child in her womb——THEFIRSTIt is not as simple as that.THESECONDSuch things are not settled so easily.THEFIRSTCome along. You will have to give an account of yourself. [As both bow their heads, he continues softly.] We are God’s police. [An expression of glad relief lights uponLILIOM’Sface. He rises from the stretcher.] Come.THESECONDYou mortals don’t get off quite as easy as that.THEFIRST[Softly.] Come. [LILIOMstarts to walk ahead of them, then stops and looks at them.] The end is not as abrupt as that. Your name is still spoken. Your face is still remembered. And what you said, and what you did, and what you failed to do—these are still remembered. Remembered, too, are the manner of your glance, the ring of your voice, the clasp of your hand and how your step sounded—as long as one is left who remembers you, so long isthe matter unended. Before the end there is much to be undone. Until you are quite forgotten, my son, you will not be finished with the earth—even though youaredead.THESECOND[Very gently.] Come. [The music begins again. All three exit at back,LILIOMleading, the others following. The stage is empty and quite dark save for the candle which burns by the stretcher, on which, in the shadows, the covers are so arranged that one cannot quite be sure that a body is not still lying. The music dies out in the distance as if it had followedLILIOMand the twoPOLICEMEN.The candle flickers and goes out. There is a brief interval of silence and total darkness beforeTHECURTAINFALLS
SCENE—The photographic “studio” a half hour later that same evening.
MOTHERHOLLUNDER,her son,MARIEandWOLFstand in a group back right, their heads together.JULIEstands apart from them, a few paces to the left.
YOUNGHOLLUNDER
[Who has just come in, tells his story excitedly.] They’re bringing him now. Two workmen from the factory are carrying him on a stretcher.
WOLF
Where is the doctor?
YOUNGHOLLUNDER
A policeman telephoned to headquarters. The police-surgeon ought to be here any minute.
MARIE
Maybe they’ll pull him through after all.
YOUNGHOLLUNDER
He stabbed himself too deep in his chest. But he’s still breathing. He can still talk, too, but very faintly. At first he lay there unconscious, but when they put him on the stretcher he came to.
WOLF
That was from the shaking.
MARIE
We’d better make room. [They make room. Two workmen carry inLILIOMon a stretcher which has four legs and stands about as high as a bed. They put the stretcher at left directly in front of the sofa, so that the head is at right and the foot at left. Then they unobtrusively join the group at the door. Later, they go out.JULIEis standing at the side of the stretcher, where, without moving, she can seeLILIOM’Sface. The others crowd emotionally together near the door. TheFIRSTPOLICEMANenters.]
FIRSTPOLICEMAN
Are you his wife?
JULIE
Yes.
FIRSTPOLICEMAN
The doctor at the factory who bandaged him up forbade us to take him to the hospital.—Dangerousto move him that far. What he needs now is rest. Just let him be until the police-surgeon comes. [To the group near the door.] He’s not to be disturbed. [They make way for him. He exits. There is a pause.]
WOLF
[Gently urging the others out.] Please—it’s best if we all get out of here now. We’ll only be in the way.
MARIE
[ToJULIE.] Julie, what do you think? [JULIElooks at her without answering.] Julie, can I do anything to help? [JULIEdoes not answer.] We’ll be just outside on the bench if you want us. [MOTHERHOLLUNDERand her son have gone out when first requested. NowMARIEandWOLFexit, too.JULIEsits on the edge of the stretcher and looks atLILIOM. He stretches his hand out to her. She clasps it. It is not quite dark yet. Both of them can still be plainly seen.]
LILIOM
[Raises himself with difficulty; speaks lightly at first, but later soberly, defiantly.] Little—Julie—there’s something—I want to tell you—like when you go to a restaurant—and you’ve finished eating—and it’s time—to pay—then you have to count up everything—everything you owe—well—I beatyou—not because I was mad at you—no—only because I can’t bear to see anyone crying. You always cried—on my account—and, well, you see,—I never learned a trade—what kind of a caretaker would I make? But anyhow—I wasn’t going back to the carousel to fool with the girls. No, I spit on them all—understand?
JULIE
Yes.
LILIOM
And—as for Hollinger—he’s good enough—Mrs. Muskat can get along all right with him. The jokes he tells are mine—and the people laugh when he tells them—but I don’t care.—I didn’t give you anything—no home—not even the food you ate—but you don’t understand.—It’s true I’m not much good—but I couldn’t be a caretaker—and so I thought maybe it would be better over there—in America—do you see?
JULIE
Yes.
LILIOM
I’m not asking—forgiveness—I don’t do that—I don’t. Tell the baby—if you like.
JULIE
Yes.
LILIOM
Tell the baby—I wasn’t much good—but tell him—if you ever talk about me—tell him—I thought—perhaps—over in America—but that’s no affair of yours. I’m not asking forgiveness. For my part the police can come now.—If it’s a boy—if it’s a girl.—Perhaps I’ll see the Lord God today.—Do you think I’ll see Him?
JULIE
Yes.
LILIOM
I’m not afraid—of the police Up There—if they’ll only let me come up in front of the Lord God Himself—not like down here where an officer stops you at the door. If the carpenter asks you—yes—be his wife—marry him. And the child—tell him he’s his father.—He’ll believe you—won’t he?
JULIE
Yes.
LILIOM
When I beat you—I was right.—You mustn’t always think—you mustn’t always be right.—Liliom can be right once, too.—It’s all the same to me who was right.—It’s so dumb. Nobody’s right—but they all think they are right.—A lot they know!
JULIE
Yes.
LILIOM
Julie—come—hold my hand tight.
JULIE
I’m holding it tight—all the time.
LILIOM
Tighter, still tighter—I’m going—— [Pauses.] Julie——
JULIE
Good-bye. [LILIOMsinks slowly back and dies.JULIEfrees her hand.THEDOCTORenters with theFIRSTPOLICEMAN.]
DOCTOR
Good evening. His wife?
JULIE
Yes, sir. [Behind theDOCTORandPOLICEMANenterMARIE, WOLF, MOTHERHOLLUNDER, YOUNGHOLLUNDERandMRS. MUSKAT.They remain respectfully at the doorway. TheDOCTORbends overLILIOMand examines him.]
DOCTOR
A light, if you please. [JULIEfetches a burning candle from the dark room. TheDOCTORexaminesLILIOMbriefly in the candle-light, then turns suddenly away.] Have you pen and ink?
WOLF
[Proffering a pen.] A fountain-pen—American——
DOCTOR
[Takes a printed form from his pocket; speaks as he writes out the death-certificate at the little table.] My poor woman, your husband is dead—there’s nothing to be done for him—the good God will help him now—I’ll leave this certificate with you. You will give it to the people from the hospital when they come—I’ll arrange for the body to be removed at once. [Rises.] Please give me a towel and soap.
POLICEMAN
I’ve got them for you out here, sir. [Points to door at back.]
DOCTOR
God be with you, my good woman.
JULIE
Thank you, sir. [TheDOCTORandPOLICEMANexit. The others slowly draw nearer.]
MARIE
Poor Julie. May he rest in peace, poor man, but as for you—please don’t be angry with me for saying it—but you’re better off this way.
MOTHERHOLLUNDER
He is better off, the poor fellow, and so are you.
MARIE
Much better, Julie . . . you are young . . . and one of these days some good man will come along. Am I right?
WOLF
She’s right.
MARIE
Julie, tell me, am I right?
JULIE
You are right, dear; you are very good.
YOUNGHOLLUNDER
There’s a good man—the carpenter. Oh, I can speak of it now. He comes here every day on some excuse or other—and he never fails to ask for you.
MARIE
A widower—with two children.
MOTHERHOLLUNDER
He’s better off, poor fellow—and so are you. He was a bad man.
MARIE
He wasn’t good-hearted. Was he, Wolf?
WOLF
No, I must say, he really wasn’t. No, Liliom wasn’t a good man. A good man doesn’t strike a woman.
MARIE
Am I right? Tell me, Julie, am I right?
JULIE
You are right, dear.
YOUNGHOLLUNDER
It’s really a good thing for her it happened.
MOTHERHOLLUNDER
He’s better off—and so is she.
WOLF
Now you have your freedom again. How old are you?
JULIE
Eighteen.
WOLF
Eighteen. A mere child! Am I right?
JULIE
You are right, Wolf. You are kind.
YOUNGHOLLUNDER
Lucky for you it happened, isn’t it?
JULIE
Yes.
YOUNGHOLLUNDER
All you had before was bad luck. If it weren’t for my mother you wouldn’t have had a roof over your head or a bite to eat—and now Autumn’s coming and Winter. You couldn’t have lived in this shack in the Winter time, could you?
MARIE
Certainly not! You’d have frozen like the birds in the fields. Am I right, Julie?
JULIE
Yes, Marie.
MARIE
A year from now you will have forgotten all about him, won’t you?
JULIE
You are right, Marie.
WOLF
If you need anything, count on us. We’ll go now. But tomorrow morning we’ll be back. Come, Marie. God be with you. [OffersJULIEhis hand.]
JULIE
God be with you.
MARIE
[EmbracesJULIE,weeping.] It’s the best thing that could have happened to you, Julie, the best thing.
JULIE
Don’t cry, Marie. [MARIEandWOLFexit.]
MOTHERHOLLUNDER
I’ll make a little black coffee. You haven’t had a thing to eat today. Then you’ll come home with us. [MOTHERHOLLUNDERand her son exit.MRS. MUSKATcomes over toJULIE.]
MRS. MUSKAT
Would you mind if I—looked at him?
JULIE
He used to work for you.
MRS. MUSKAT
[Contemplates the body; turns toJULIE.] Won’t you make up with me?
JULIE
I wasn’t angry with you.
MRS. MUSKAT
But you were. Let’s make it up.
JULIE
[Raising her voice eagerly, almost triumphantly.] I’ve nothing to make up withyou.
MRS. MUSKAT
But I have with you. Everyone says hard things against the poor dead boy—except us two. You don’t say he was bad.
JULIE
[Raising her voice yet higher, this time on a defiant, wholly triumphant note.] Yes, Ido.
MRS. MUSKAT
I understand, my child. But he beat me, too. What does that matter? I’ve forgotten it.
JULIE
[From now on answers her coldly, drily, without looking at her.] That’s your own affair.
MRS. MUSKAT
If I can help you in any way——
JULIE
There’s nothing I need.
MRS. MUSKAT
I still owe him two kronen, back pay.
JULIE
You should have paid him.
MRS. MUSKAT
Now that the poor fellow is dead I thought perhaps it would be the same if I paid you.
JULIE
I’ve nothing to do with it.
MRS. MUSKAT
All right. Please don’t think I’m trying to force myself on you. I stayed because we two are the only ones on earth who loved him. That’s why I thought we ought to stick together.
JULIE
No, thank you.
MRS. MUSKAT
Then you couldn’t have loved him as I did.
JULIE
No.
MRS. MUSKAT
I loved him better.
JULIE
Yes.
MRS. MUSKAT
Good-bye.
JULIE
Good-bye. [MRS. MUSKATexits.JULIEputs the candle on the table nearLILIOM’Shead, sits on the edge of the stretcher, looks into the dead man’s face and caresses it tenderly.] Sleep, Liliom, sleep—it’s no business of hers—I never even told you—but now I’ll tell you—now I’ll tell you—you bad, quick-tempered, rough, unhappy, wicked—dearboy—sleep peacefully, Liliom—they can’t understand how I feel—I can’t even explain to you—not even to you—how I feel—you’d only laugh at me—but you can’t hear me any more. [Between tender motherliness and reproach, yet with great love in her voice.] It was wicked of you to beat me—on the breast and on the head and face—but you’re gone now.—You treated me badly—that was wicked of you—but sleep peacefully, Liliom—you bad, bad boy, you—I love you—I never told you before—I was ashamed—but now I’ve told you—I love you, Liliom—sleep—my boy—sleep. [She rises, gets a Bible, sits down near the candle and reads softly to herself, so that, not the words, but an inarticulate murmur is heard. TheCARPENTERenters at back.]
CARPENTER
[Stands near the door; in the dimness of the room he can scarcely be seen.] Miss Julie——
JULIE
[Without alarm.] Who is that?
CARPENTER
[Very slowly.] The carpenter.
JULIE
What does the carpenter want?
CARPENTER
Can I be of help to you in any way? Shall I stay here with you?
JULIE
[Gratefully, but firmly.] Don’t stay, carpenter.
CARPENTER
Shall I come back tomorrow?
JULIE
Not tomorrow, either.
CARPENTER
Don’t be offended, Miss Julie, but I’d like to know—you see, I’m not a young man any more—I have two children—and if I’m to come back any more—I’d like to know—if there’s any use——
JULIE
No use, carpenter.
CARPENTER
[As he exits.] God be with you. [JULIEresumes her reading.FICSURenters, slinks furtively sideways to the stretcher, looks atLILIOM,shakes his head.JULIElooks up from her reading.FICSURtakes fright, slinks away from the stretcher, sits down at right, biting his nails.JULIErises.FICSURrises, too, and looks at her half fearfully. With her piercing glance upon him he slinks to the doorway at back, where he pauses and speaks.]
FICSUR
The old woman asked me to tell you that coffee is ready, and you are to come in. [JULIEgoes to the kitchen door.FICSURwithdraws until she has closed the door behind her. Then he reappears in the doorway, stands on tiptoes, looks atLILIOM,then exits. Now the body lies alone. After a brief silence music is heard, distant at first, but gradually coming nearer. It is very much like the music of the carousel, but slower, graver, more exalted. The melody, too, is the same, yet the tempo is altered and contrapuntal measures of the thieves’ song are intertwined in it. Two men in black, with heavy sticks, soft black hats and black gloves, appear in the doorway at back and stride slowly into the room. Their faces are beardless, marble white, grave and benign. One stops m front of the stretcher, theother a pace to the right. From above a dim violet light illuminates their faces.]
THEFIRST
[ToLILIOM.] Rise and come with us.
THESECOND
[Politely.] You’re under arrest.
THEFIRST
[Somewhat louder, but always in a gentle, low, resonant voice.] Do you hear? Rise. Don’t you hear?
THESECOND
We are the police.
THEFIRST
[Bends down, touchesLILIOM’Sshoulder.] Get up and come with us. [LILIOMslowly sits up.]
THESECOND
Come along.
THEFIRST
[Paternally.] These people suppose that when they die all their difficulties are solved for them.
THESECOND
[Raising his voice sternly.] That simply by thrusting a knife in your heart and making it stopbeating you can leave your wife behind with a child in her womb——
THEFIRST
It is not as simple as that.
THESECOND
Such things are not settled so easily.
THEFIRST
Come along. You will have to give an account of yourself. [As both bow their heads, he continues softly.] We are God’s police. [An expression of glad relief lights uponLILIOM’Sface. He rises from the stretcher.] Come.
THESECOND
You mortals don’t get off quite as easy as that.
THEFIRST
[Softly.] Come. [LILIOMstarts to walk ahead of them, then stops and looks at them.] The end is not as abrupt as that. Your name is still spoken. Your face is still remembered. And what you said, and what you did, and what you failed to do—these are still remembered. Remembered, too, are the manner of your glance, the ring of your voice, the clasp of your hand and how your step sounded—as long as one is left who remembers you, so long isthe matter unended. Before the end there is much to be undone. Until you are quite forgotten, my son, you will not be finished with the earth—even though youaredead.
THESECOND
[Very gently.] Come. [The music begins again. All three exit at back,LILIOMleading, the others following. The stage is empty and quite dark save for the candle which burns by the stretcher, on which, in the shadows, the covers are so arranged that one cannot quite be sure that a body is not still lying. The music dies out in the distance as if it had followedLILIOMand the twoPOLICEMEN.The candle flickers and goes out. There is a brief interval of silence and total darkness before
THECURTAINFALLS