AUGUST

Yes! He talked to him a long time. You see, as for me--I've lost an eye, to be sure--but I don't care to have Streckmann punished. Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. But father--he can't be persuaded to think peaceably about this matter. Ask anythin' o' me, says he, but not that!

MRS. FLAMM

You say my husband went to see old Bernd?

AUGUST

Yes, that time he got the summons.

MRS. FLAMM

What kind o' summons was that?

AUGUST

To appear before the examining magistrate.

MRS. FLAMM

[_With growing excitement._] Who? Old Bernd?

AUGUST

No; Mr. Flamm.

MRS. FLAMM

Was my husband examined too? What did he have to do with the affair?

AUGUST

Yes, he was examined too.

MRS. FLAMM

[_Deeply affected._] Is that so? That's news to me! I didn't know about that. Nor that Christie went to see old Bernd!... I wonder where my smellin' bottle is?--No, August, you might as well go home now. I'm a bit ... I don't know what to call it! An' any special advice I can't give you, the way it all turns out. There's something that's gone through an'

through me. Go home an' wait to see how everything goes. But if you love the la.s.s truly, then ... look at me: I could tell you a tale! If a body is made that way: whether 'tis a man that the women run after, or a woman that all the men are mad about--then there's nothin' to do but just to suffer an' suffer and be patient!--I've lived that way twelve long years. [_She pats her hand to her eyes and peers through her fingers._]

An' if I want to see things at all, I have to see them from behind my hands.

AUGUST

I can't never believe that, Mrs. Flamm.

MRS. FLAMM

Whether you believe me or not. Life don't ask us if we want to believe things. An' I feel exactly like you: I can't hardly realise it either.

But we have to see how we can reconcile ourselves to it--I made a promise to Rose! 'Tis easy promisin' an' hard keepin' the promise sometimes in this world. But I'll do the best in my power.--Good-bye--I can't expect you to ... G.o.d must take pity on us. That's all.

_AUGUST, deeply moved, grasps the hand which MRS. FLAMM offers him and withdraws in silence._

MRS. FLAMM leans her head far back and, lost in thought, looks up.

She sighs twice deeply and with difficulty. FLAMM enters, very pale, looks sidewise at his wife and begins to whistle softly. He opens the book case and pretends to be eagerly hunting for something._

MRS. FLAMM

Yes, yes; there it is--you whistle everything down the wind! But this ...

this ... I wouldn't ha' thought you capable of.

_FLAMM swings around, falls silent, and looks straight at her. He lifts both hands slightly and shrugs his shoulders very high. Then, he relaxes all his muscles and gazes simply and without embarra.s.sment--thoughtfully rather than shamefacedly--at the floor._

MRS. FLAMM

You men take these things very lightly! What's to happen now?

FLAMM

[_Repeating the same gesture but less p.r.o.nouncedly._] That's what I don't know.--I want to be quite calm now. I should like to tell you how that came about. It may be that you will be able to judge me less harshly then. If not ... why, then I should be very sorry for myself.

MRS. FLAMM

I don't see how a body can fail to judge such recklessness harshly.

FLAMM

Recklessness? I don't think that it was mere recklessness. What would you rather have it be, mother--recklessness, or something more serious?

MRS. FLAMM

To destroy the future of just this girl, for whom we have to bear all the responsibility! We made her come to the house! An' she an' her people had blind confidence in us! 'Tis enough to make one perish o' shame! It looks as if one had ... that ... in view!

FLAMM

Are you done, mother?

MRS. FLAMM

Far from it!

FLAMM

Well, then I'll have to wait a bit longer.

MRS. FLAMM

Christie, what did I tell you that day when you out with it an' said you wanted to marry me?