WENDLA.

He stands third in his cla.s.s.

THEA.

Professor Knochenbruch says he can be first if he wants.

MARTHA.

He has a beautiful brow, but his friend has a soulful look.

THEA.

Moritz Stiefel?----He's a stupid!

MARTHA.

I've always gotten along well with him.

THEA.

He disgraces anybody who is with him. At Rilow's party he offered me some bon-bons. Only think, Wendla, they were soft and warm. Isn't that----? He said he had kept them too long in his trouser's pocket.

WENDLA.

Only think, Melchi Gabor told me once that he didn't believe anything----not in G.o.d, not in a hereafter----in anything more in this world.

SCENE FOURTH.

_A park in front of the grammar school. Melchior, Otto, George, Robert, Hans Rilow and Lammermeier._

MELCHIOR.

Can any of you say where Moritz Stiefel is keeping himself?

GEORGE.

It may go hard with him!----Oh, it may go hard with him!

OTTO.

He'll keep on until he gets caught dead to rights.

LAEMMERMEIER.

Lord knows, I wouldn't want to be in his skin at this moment!

ROBERT.

What cheek! What insolence!

MELCHIOR.

Wha----Wha----what do you know?

GEORGE.

What do we know?----Now, I tell you----

LAEMMERMEIER.

I wish I hadn't said anything!

OTTO.

So do I----G.o.d knows I do!

MELCHIOR.

If you don't at once----

ROBERT.

The long and the short of it is, Moritz Stiefel has broken into the Board Room.

MELCHIOR.

Into the Board Room----?

OTTO.

Into the Board Room. Right after the Latin lesson.

GEORGE.

He was the last. He hung back intentionally.

LAEMMERMEIER.

As I turned the corner of the corridor, I saw him open the door.

MELCHIOR.

The devil take----

LAEMMERMEIER.

If only the devil doesn't take him.