It's ... it's ... it's ... over at ...

LANGHEINRICH

Anything about the missis?

MRS. SCHULZE

No, at Fielitzes'.

LANGHEINRICH

Is that so? Nothin' about my wife? Well, then,--[_he shakes her_]--just stop to get your breath. Things is as they is. I'm prepared for anythin'--life an' death. I gotta stand it.

MRS. SCHULZE

The engine!

LANGHEINRICH

What kind o' talk is that? Anythin' wrong with you?

MRS. SCHULZE

No; it's burnin'!

LANGHEINRICH

Go an' blow it out then!--Where is it burnin'!

MRS. SCHULZE

At the Fielitzes'!

LANGHEINRICH

Good Lord! That ain't possible!

[_He drops the iron file and some nails which he has been holding._

EDE

Where's the fire?

MRS. SCHULZE

At Fielitzes'; the flame is comin' out o' the skylight.

DR. BOXER

[_Has stepped forward._] Confound it all, but it's smoky! Come here! You can see it well from here.

EDE

[_Also stares in the direction of the fire. His expression shows that a complete understanding of the situation has come to him, which he expresses by a conscious whistling._] There ain't no words for this; I just gotta whistle.

LANGHEINRICH

Ede! Run over to Scheibler's! Run! Get the horses for the engine! That smoke's comin' up thick over the gable.

[_He rushes into the smithy, throws his ap.r.o.n aside, puts on a fireman's helmet, belt, etc._

MRS. SCHULZE

An' n.o.body at home there, goodness gracious!

DR. BOXER

That's the lucky part of it, after all.

_The roaring of the fire alarm trumpet is heard._

MRS. SCHULZE

You hear, Doctor? They're tootin' already!

LANGHEINRICH

[_Reappears in his fireman's uniform._] You get out o' the way here, old lady. Go an' attend to things upstairs. Nothin' to be done here with a syringe. You go up to my wife. Hold on! We gotta have the key to the engine house. The devil!

_MRS. SCHULZE withdraws into the house. RAUCHHAUPT'S head reappears on the other side of the fence._

RAUCHHAUPT

My, but there's a smell o' burnin' in the air.

LANGHEINRICH

Sure it smells that way. There's a fire at the Fielitzes'.

RAUCHHAUPT

The devil! I didn't know nothin' about that!

LANGHEINRICH

That's all right, old man. Wasn't you a constable onct?

[_He rushes away._