PASTOR SPITTA

What turns these young people aside from the right path is evil example and easy opportunity.

Ha.s.sENREUTER

I beg your pardon, Pastor, but I have not observed in your son the slightest inclination toward leading a frivolous life. He is simply attracted to literature, and he isn't the first clergyman's son--remember merely Lessing and Herder--who has taken the road of literary study and creative art. Very likely be has ma.n.u.script plays in his desk even now.

To be sure, I am bound to admit that the opinions which your son defends in the field of literature frighten even me at times!

PASTOR SPITTA

But that's horrible! That's frightful! That far exceeds my worst fears!

And so my eyes have been opened.--My dear sir, I have had eight children, of whom Erich seemed our fairest hope and his next-oldest sister our heaviest trial. And now, it seems, the same accursed city has demanded them both as its victims. The girl developed prematurely, she was beautiful ... and ... But I must mention another circ.u.mstance now, I have, been in Berlin for three days and I haven't seen Erich yet. When I tried to see him to-day, he was not at home in his rooms. I waited for a while and naturally looked about me in my son's dwelling. And now: look at this picture, sir!

[_Replacing ERICH'S letter in his pocket he extracts therefrom a small photograph and holds it immediately under Ha.s.sENREUTER'S eyes._

Ha.s.sENREUTER

[_Takes the picture and holds it at varying distances from him. He is disconcerted._] Why should I look at this?

PASTOR SPITTA

The silly little face is of no importance. But pray look at the inscription.

Ha.s.sENREUTER

Where?

PASTOR SPITTA

[_Reads._] "From Walburga to her only sweetheart."

Ha.s.sENREUTER

Permit me!--- What's the meaning of this?

PASTOR SPITTA

It simply means some seamstress if not, what is worse, some shady waitress!

Ha.s.sENREUTER

H-m. [_He slips the picture into his pocket._] I shall keep this photograph.

PASTOR SPITTA

It is in such filth that my son wallows. And consider the situation in which it puts me: with what feelings, with what front shall I henceforward face my congregation from the pulpit ...?

Ha.s.sENREUTER

Confound it, what business is that of mine? What have I to do with your offspring, with your lost sons and daughters? [_He pulls out the photograph again._] And furthermore, as far as this excellent and sound-hearted young lady is concerned, you're quite mistaken in your ideas about waitresses and such like. I'll say nothing more. All other matters will adjust themselves. Good-bye.

PASTOR SPITTA

I confess frankly, I don't understand you. Probably this tone is the usual one in your circles, I will go and not annoy you any longer. But as a father I have the right before G.o.d, to demand of you that henceforth you refuse to my deluded son this so-called dramatic instruction. I hope I shall not have to look for further ways and means of enforcing this demand.

Ha.s.sENREUTER

I won't only do that, but I'll actually put him out of doors.

[_He accompanies the PASTOR to the door, slams it behind him and returns alone._

Ha.s.sENREUTER

[_Waving his arms through the air._] All that one can say here is: Plain parson! [_He rushes halfway up the stairs to the loft._] Spitta!

Walburga! Come down here, will you?

_WALBURGA and SPITTA come down._

Ha.s.sENREUTER

[_To WALBURGA, who looks at him questioningly._] Go to your high stool over there and sit down on the humorous part of your anatomy! Well, and you, my dear Spitta, what do you want?

SPITTA

You called us both, sir.

Ha.s.sENREUTER

Exactly. Now look me in the eye!

SPITTA Certainly.

[_He looks straight at Ha.s.sENREUTER._

Ha.s.sENREUTER

You two want to make an a.s.s of me. But you won't succeed! Silence! Not a word! I would have expected something very different from you! This is a striking proof of ingrat.i.tude. Keep still! Furthermore, a gentleman was here just now! That gentleman is afraid in Berlin! March! Follow him!

Take him down into the street and try to make it clear to him that I'm neither your bootblack nor his.

[_SPITTA shrugs his shoulders, takes his hat and goes._

Ha.s.sENREUTER

[_Strides up to WALBURGA energetically and tweaks her ear._] And as for you, my dear, you'll have your ears soundly boxed if ever again without my permission you exchange two words with this rascal of a theologian gone to smash!

WALBURGA

Ouch, papa, ouch!