GESCHWITZ.How dark it is here!
SCHIGOLCH.It gets much darker than this.—The doctor's already gone to rest.
GESCHWITZ.She sent me ahead.
SCHIGOLCH.That was sensible.—If anyone asks for me, I'm sitting downstairs in the pub.
GESCHWITZ.(After he has gone.) I will sit behind the door. I will look on at everything and not quiver an eye-lash. (Sits on the broken chair.) Men and women don't know themselves—they know not what they are. Only one who is neither man nor woman knows them. Every word they say is untrue, a lie. And they do not know it, for they are to-day so and to-morrow so, according as they have eaten, drunk, and loved, or not. Only the body remains for a time what it is, and only the children have reason. The men and women are like the animals: none knows what it does. When they arehappiest they bewail themselves and groan, and in their deepest misery they rejoice over every tiny morsel. It is strange how hunger takes from men and women the strength to withstand misfortune. But when they have fed full they make this world a torture-chamber, they throw away their lives to satisfy a whim, a mood. Have there ever once been men and women to whom love brought happiness? And what is their happiness, save that they sleep better and can forget it all? My God, I thank thee that thou hast not made me as these. I am not man nor woman. My body has nothing common with their bodies. Have I a human soul? Tortured humanity has a little narrow heart; but I know I deserve nothing when I resign all, sacrifice all.... (Lulu opens the door, and Dr. Hilti enters. Geschwitz, unnoticed, remains motionless by the door.)
LULU.(Gaily.) Come right in! Come!—you'll stay with me all night?
DR. HILTI.(His accent is very broad and flat.) But I have no more than five shillings on me. I never take more than that when I go out.
LULU.That's enough, because it's you! You have such faithful eyes! Come, give me a kiss! (Dr. Hilti begins to swear, in the broadest north-country vowels.) Please, don't say that.
DR. HILTI.By the de'il, 'tis the first time I've e'er gone with a girrl! You can believe me. Mass, I hadn't thought it would be like this!
LULU.Are you married?
DR. HILTI.Heaven and Hail, why do you think I am married?—No, I'm a tutor; I read philosophy at the University. The truth is, I come of a very old country family. As a student, I got just two shillings pocket-money,and I could make better use of that than for girrls!
LULU.So you have never been with a woman?
DR. HILTI.Just so, yes! But I want it now. I got engaged this evening to a country-woman of mine. She's a governess here.
LULU.Is she pretty?
DR. HILTI.Yaw, she's got a hundred thousand.—I am very eager, as it seems to me....
LULU.(Tossing back her hair.) Iamin luck! (Takes the lamp.) Well, if you please, Mr. Tutor? (They go into her room. Geschwitz draws a small black revolver from her pocket and sets it to her forehead.)
GESCHWITZ.—Come, come,—beloved! (Dr. Hilti tears open the door again.—)
DR. HILTI.(Plunging in.) Insane seraphs! Some one's lying in there!
LULU.(Lamp in hand, holds him by the sleeve.) Stay with me!
DR. HILTI.A dead man! A corpse!
LULU.Stay with me! Stay with me!
DR. HILTI.(Tearing away.) A corpse is lying in there! Horrors! Hail! Heaven!
LULU.Stay with me!
DR. HILTI.Where d's it go out? (Sees Geschwitz.) And there is the devil!
LULU.Please, stop, stay!
DR. HILTI.Devil, devilled devilry!—Oh, thou eternal—(Exit.)
LULU.(Rushing after him.) Stop! Stop!
GESCHWITZ.(Alone, lets the revolver sink.) Better, hang! If she sees me lie in my blood to-day she'll not weep a tear for me! I have always been to her butthe docile tool that could be used for the heaviest labor. From the first day she has abhorred me from the depths of her soul.—Shall I not rather jump from the bridge? Which could be colder, the water or her heart? I would dream till I was drowned.—Better, hang!— —Stab?—Hm, there would be no use in that— —How often have I dreamt that she kissed me! But a minute more; an owl knocks there at the window, and I wake up.— —Better, hang! Not water; water is too clean for me. (Starting up.) There!—There! There it is!—Quick now, before she comes! (Takes the plaid-straps from the wall, climbs on the chair, fastens them to a hook in the door-post, puts her head thru them, kicks the chair away, and falls to the ground.) Accursed life!—Accursed life!—Could it be before me still??—Let me speak just once to thy heart, my angel! But thou art cold!—I am not to go yet! Perhaps I am even to have been happy once.—Listen to him, Lulu! I am not to go yet! (She drags herself before Lulu's picture, sinks to her knees and folds her hands.) My adoréd angel! My love! My star!—Have mercy upon me, pity me, pity me, pity me!
(Lulu opens the door, and Jack enters—a thick-set man of elastic movements, with a pale face, inflamed eyes, arched and heavy brows, a drooping mustache, thin imperial and shaggy whiskers, and fiery red hands with gnawed nails. His eyes are fixed on the ground. He wears a dark overcoat and a little round felt hat. Entering, he notices Geschwitz.)
JACK.Who is that?
LULU.That's my sister. She's crazy. I don't know how to get rid of her.
JACK.Your mouth looks beautiful.
LULU.It's my mother's.
JACK.Looks like it. How much do you want? I haven't got much money.
LULU.Won't you spend the night with me here?
JACK.No, haven't got the time. I must get home.
LULU.You can tell them at home to-morrow that you missed the last 'bus and spent the night with a friend.
JACK.How much do you want?
LULU.I'm not after lumps of gold, but, well, a little something.
JACK.(Turning.) Good night! Good night!
LULU.(Holds him back.) No, no! Stay, for God's sake!
JACK.(Goes past Geschwitz and opens the cubicle.) Why should I stay here till morning? Sounds suspicious! When I'm asleep they'll turn my pockets out.
LULU.No, I won't do that! No one will! Don't go away again for that! I beg you!
JACK.How much do you want?
LULU.Then give me the half of what I said!
JACK.No, that's too much. You don't seem to have been at this long?
LULU.To-day is the first time. (She jerks back Geschwitz, on her knees still, half turned toward Jack, by the straps around her neck.) Lie down and be quiet!
JACK.Let her alone! She isn't your sister. She is in love with you. (Strokes Geschwitz's head like a dog's.) Poor beast!
LULU.Why do you stare at me so all at once?
JACK.I got your measure by the way you walked. I said to myself: That girl must have a well-built body.
LULU.How can you see things like that?
JACK.I even saw that you had a pretty mouth. But I've only got a florin on me.
LULU.Well, what difference does that make! Just give that to me!
JACK.But you'll have to give me half back, so I can take the 'bus to-morrow morning.
LULU.I have nothing on me.
JACK.Just look, thoh. Hunt thru your pockets!—Well, what's that? Let's see it!
LULU.(Showing him.) That's all I have.
JACK.Give it to me!
LULU.I'll change it to-morrow, and then give you half.
JACK.No, give it all to me.
LULU.(Giving it.) In God's name! But now you come! (Takes up the lamp.)
JACK.We need no light. The moon's out.
LULU.(Puts the lamp down.) As you say. (She falls on his neck.) I won't harm you at all! I love you so! Don't let me beg you any longer!
JACK.Alright; I'm with you. (Follows her into the cubby-hole. The lamp goes out. On the floor under the two sky-lights appear two vivid squares of moonlight. Everything in the room is clearly seen.)
GESCHWITZ.(As in a dream.) This is the last evening I shall spend with these people. I'm going back to Germany. My mother'll send me the money. I'll go to a university. I must fight for woman's rights; study law.... (Lulu shrieks, and tears open the door.)
LULU.(Barefoot, in chemise and petticoat, holding the door shut behind her.) Help!
GESCHWITZ.(Rushes to the door, draws her revolver, and pushing Lulu aside, aims it at the door. As Lulu again cries “Help!”) Let go! (Jack, bent double, tears open the door from inside, and runs a knife into Geschwitz'sbody. She fires one shot, at the roof, and falls with suppressed crying, crumpling up. Jack tears her revolver from her and throws himself against the exit-door.)
JACK.God damn! I never saw a prettier mouth! (Sweat drips from his hairy face. His hands are bloody. He pants, gasping violently, and stares at the floor with eyes popping out of his head. Lulu, trembling in every limb, looks wildly round. Suddenly she seizes the bottle, smashes it on the table, and with the broken neck in her hand rushes upon Jack. He swings up his right foot and throws her onto her back. Then he lifts her up.)
LULU.No, no!—Mercy!—Murder!—Police! Police!
JACK.Be still. You'll never get away from me again. (Carries her in.)
LULU.(Within, right.) No!—No!—No!— —Ah!—Ah!...
(After a pause, Jack re-enters. He puts the bowl on the table.)
JACK.Thatwasa piece of work! (Washing his hands.) Iama damned lucky chap! (Looks round for a towel.) Not even a towel, these folks here! Hell of a wretched hole! (He dries his hands on Geschwitz's petticoat.) This invert is safe enough from me! (To her.) It'll soon be all up with you, too. (Exit.)
GESCHWITZ.(Alone.) Lulu!—My angel!—Let me see thee once more! I am near thee—stay near thee—forever! (Her elbows give way.) O cursed—!! (Dies.)
CURTAIN.
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTEIn the original book, words were emphasized by adding additional space between letters (gesperrt). In this eBook, those words are emphasized with anunderline.The following printer's errors have been corrected:"Fäulein" corrected to "Fräulein" (page 15)"CASTI-PIANA" corrected to "CASTI-PIANI" (page 38)"HEILMAN" corrected to "HEILMANN" (page 56)"SCHIGLOCH" corrected to "SCHIGOLCH" (page 70)
In the original book, words were emphasized by adding additional space between letters (gesperrt). In this eBook, those words are emphasized with anunderline.
The following printer's errors have been corrected:
"Fäulein" corrected to "Fräulein" (page 15)"CASTI-PIANA" corrected to "CASTI-PIANI" (page 38)"HEILMAN" corrected to "HEILMANN" (page 56)"SCHIGLOCH" corrected to "SCHIGOLCH" (page 70)