'Tis strange things you are saying to-day, Christie. [_A knocking is heard at the door._] Who's knocking there? Come in!

AUGUST

[_Still behind the scenes._] 'Tis only me, Mrs. Flamm.

_FLAMM withdraws rapidly into his den._

MRS. FLAMM

Oh, 'tis you, Mr. Keil. Just step right in.

_AUGUST KEIL appears on the scene. He is paler than formerly, more emaciated and wears dark gla.s.ses. His left eye is hidden by a black patch._

AUGUST

I have come, Mrs. Flamm, to bring Rose's excuses to you. Good-day, Mrs.

Flamm.

MRS. FLAMM

Good-day to you, Mr. Keil.

AUGUST

My betrothed had to go to the county court to-day, or she would ha' come herself. But she'll be comin' in this evenin'.

MRS. FLAMM

I'm real pleased to get a chance to see you. How are you getting on? Sit down.

AUGUST

G.o.d's ways are mysterious! An' when His hand rests heavy on us, we mustn't complain. On the contrary, we must rejoice. An' I tell you, Mrs.

Flamm, that's almost the way I'm feelin' nowadays. I'm content. The worse things gets, the gladder I am. 'Tis layin' up more an' more treasures in heaven.

MRS. FLAMM

[_Taking a deep and difficult breath._] I trust you are right, Mr.

Keil.--Did Rose get my letters?

AUGUST

She gave them to me to read. An' I told her, it wouldn't do--that she'd have to go to see you now.

MRS. FLAMM

I must tell you, Keil, I'm surprised that, after all these recent happenin's, she never once found her way here. She knows that she'll find sympathy here.

AUGUST

She's been reel afraid o' people recently. An', Mrs. Flamm, if you'll permit me to say so, you mustn't take it ill. First of all she had her hands full with tendin' to me. I was so in need o' care--an' she did a good work by me! An' then, since that man slandered her so terrible, she scarce dared go out o' the room.

MRS. FLAMM

I don't take offence, Keil. Oh, no! But how is she otherwise? An' what does she do?

AUGUST

'Tis hard to say, that's certain. To-day, for instance, when she had to go to court at eleven o'clock--'twas a regular dance she led us! She talked so strange, Mrs. Flamm, 'twas enough to scare a body out o' his wits.--First of all she didn't want to be goin' at all; next she thought she wanted to take me with her. In the end she was gone like a flash an'

cried out to me that I wasn't to follow. Times she kept weepin' all day!--Naturally, a man has his thoughts.

MRS. FLAMM

What kind o' thoughts?

AUGUST

About several things.--Firstly, this mishap that came to me! She spoke of it to me many a time. That's cut her straight to the heart! An' about father Bernd an' that he has taken that business o' Streckmann so serious.

MRS. FLAMM

We're all alone here, Mr. Keil. Why shouldn't we speak openly for once.

Did it never occur to you ... I mean about this Streckmann matter ... to you or, maybe to father Bernd--that there might be some truth in it?

AUGUST

I don't let myself have no thoughts about that.

MRS. FLAMM

That's right! I don't blame you for that in the least. There are times in life when one can't do better than stick one's head in the sand like an ostrich. But that isn't right for a father!

AUGUST

Well, Mrs. Flamm, as far as old Bernd goes, his mind is as far as the sky from any suspicion that somethin' mightn't be quite right. His conviction's as firm as a rock. He'd let you chop off his hands for it.

n.o.body wouldn't believe how strictly he thinks about things o' that kind.

His honour was there too an' tried to persuade him to withdraw his charge....

MRS. FLAMM

[_Excitedly._] Who was there?

AUGUST

His honour, Mr. Flamm.

MRS. FLAMM

My husband?