DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

So long as your wife's strength keeps up there is, at all events, no direct danger. But why didn't you call in the young midwife? I remember having recommended her to you.

HOFFMANN

My mother-in-law...! What is one to do? And, to be frank with you, my wife has no confidence in the young woman either.

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

But your ladies place confidence in this old fossil? Well, I hope they'll ... And I suppose you would like to go back upstairs?

HOFFMANN

Yes, honestly, I can't get much rest down here.

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

It would be better undoubtedly if you were to go somewhere--out of the house.

HOFFMANN

With the best will in the world, I--. [_LOTH arises from the sofa in the dim foreground and approaches the two._] Hallo, Loth, there you are too!

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

[_Surprised in the extreme._] Well, I'll be--!

LOTH

I heard that you were here. I would have looked you up to-morrow without fail.

[_They shake hands cordially. HOFFMANN takes the opportunity to mash down a gla.s.s of brandy at the side-board and then to creep back upstairs on tiptoe._

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

So you've evidently forgotten--ha, ha, ha--that ridiculous old affair?

[_He lays aside his hat and cane._

LOTH

Long ago, Schimmel!

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

Well, so have I, as you can well imagine. [_They shake hands once more._]

I've had so few pleasant surprises in this hole, that this one seems positively queer to me. And it is strange that we should meet just here.

It _is_.

LOTH

And you faded clear out of sight. Otherwise I'd have routed you out long ago.

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

Oh, I just dived below the surface like a seal. Made deep-sea investigations. In about a year and a half I hope to emerge once more. A man must be financially independent--do you know that?--In order to achieve anything useful.

LOTH

So you, too, are making money here?

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

Naturally and as much as possible. What else is there to do here?

LOTH

You might have let some one hear from you!

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

I beg your pardon. But if I had been heard from, I would have heard from you fellows--and I absolutely didn't want to hear. Nothingnothing. That would simply have kept me from exploiting my diggings here.

_The two men walk slowly up and down the room._

LOTH

I see. But then you mustn't be surprised to hear that ... well, they all, without an exception, really gave you up as hopeless.

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

That's like them--the scamps! They'll be made to take notice.

LOTH

Schimmel--otherwise the "rough husk"!

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG

I wish you had had to live here among the farmers for six years.

h.e.l.lhounds--every one of them.

LOTH

I can imagine that.--But how in the world did you get to Witzdorf?

DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG