The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann - LightNovelsOnl.com
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Lie down on your side an' leave me alone.
HENSCHEL
Are you comin' too?
MRS. HENSCHEL
It's most day now.
[_She winds the clock._]
HENSCHEL
Who's windin' the clock?
MRS. HENSCHEL
You're to keep still now. If Berthel was to wake up it'd be a fine to do.
She'd howl for half an hour. [_She sits down at the table and leans both elbows upon it._] 'Twould be best if a body got up an' went away,
_SIEBENHAAR peers in._
SIEBENHAAR I'm lookin' in once more. Is your husband calmer now?
MRS. HENSCHEL
Yes, yes, he lay down to sleep. [_She calls._] Husband! Wilhelm!
SIEBENHAAR
s.h.!.+ You'd better be grateful. Hurry and go to bed yourself.
MRS. HENSCHEL
There's nothin' else left to do. I'll go an' try. [_She goes to the door of the bedroom, stands still as if spellbound and listens._] Wilhelm! You might answer.--[_Louder and more frightened._] Wilhelm! You're not to frighten me this way! Maybe you think I don't know that you're still awake!!--[_In growing terror._]--Wilhelm, I tell you!... [_BERTHEL has waked up and wails._] Berthel, you look out an' keep still! Keep still or I don't know what'll happen!--Wilhelm! Wilhelm!
[_She almost shrieks._
SIEBENHAAR looks in again.
SIEBENHAAR
What's the matter, Mrs. Henschel?
MRS. HENSCHEL
I call an' call an' he don't answer!
SIEBENHAAR
Are you crazy? Why do you do that?
MRS. HENSCHEL
--'Tis so still ... Somethin's happened.
SIEBENHAAR
What?--[_He takes up the candle and goes toward the bedroom door._]
Henschel, have you fallen asleep?
[_He enters the bedroom._
[_Pause._]
MRS. HENSCHEL
[_Not daring to follow him._] What is it? What is it? What's goin' on?
_WERMELSKIRCH looks in._
WERMELSKIRCH
Who's in there?
MRS. HENSCHEL
Mr. Siebenhaar.--'Tis so still. n.o.body don't answer.--
SIEBENHAAR
[_Very pale and holding BERTHEL on his arm hurries out of the bedroom._]
Mrs. Henschel, take your child and go up to my wife.
MRS. HENSCHEL
[_Already with the child in her arms._] For G.o.d's sake, what has happened?
SIEBENHAAR
You'll find that out all too soon.
MRS. HENSCHEL
[_With a voice that is first repressed and at last rises to a scream._] O G.o.d, he's done hisself some harm!
_[She runs out with the child._
WERMELSKIRCH
