Works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Page 161
To-morrow morning hence full early I must go.
The bill!
HOST.
To start off thus, at such a time of rain,
The letter must indeed important news contain.
May I perchance presume to ask your Honour why?
ALCESTES.
No!
HOST (to SOPHIA).
Ask him: he to you will certainly reply.
(He goes to the table at the bottom of the stage, where he takes his books out of the drawer, sits down, and makes out the bill)
SOPHIA.
Alcestes, is it so?
ALCESTES.
Her coaxing face, just see!
SOPHIA.
Alcestes, I entreat, depart not thus from me!
ALCESTES.
Make up your mind at once to see me, then, to-night.
SOPHIA (aside).
What shall — what can I do! He must not leave my sight:
My only joy is he —
(Aloud.) You see, I never can —
Remember, I’m a wife.
ALCESTES.
The Devil take the man!
You’ll be a widow then! These passing hours employ:
Perchance they’ll be the last, as well as first, of joy.
One word. At midnight, then, my love, I shall appear.
SOPHIA.
My father’s chamber is to mine so very near.
ALCESTES.
Well, then, you’ll come to me! Why this consideration?
The moments fly away ‘midst all your hesitation.
Here, take the keys.
SOPHIA.
My key will open ev’ry door.
ALCESTES.
Then come, my darling child! Why trifle any more?
Now, will you?
SOPHIA. will I?
ALCESTES.
Well?
SOPHIA.
Yes, I will come to you.
ALCESTES (to the HOST).
Mine host, I shall not go.
HOST (advancing).
Good!
(To SOPHIA.) Wherefore this ado?
SOPHIA.
Nought will he say.
HOST.
What, nought?
SCENE VI.
THE ABOVE. SOLLER.
ALCESTES.
My hat!
SOPHIA.
There lies it! here!
ALCESTES.
Adieu, I must be off.
SOLLER.
I wish you, sir, good cheer!
ALCESTES.
Fair madam, fare you well!
SOPHIA.
Farewell!
SOLLER.
Your humble servant!
ALCESTES.
I first must go up-stairs.
SOLLER (aside).
Each day he grows more fervent.
HOST (taking a light).
Allow me, sir.
ALCESTES (taking it politely out of his hand).
Good host, indeed I can’t consent!
(Exit.)
SOPHIA.
“Well, Soller, you are off! How if I also went?
SOLLER.
Aha! you now would fain —
SOPHIA.
No, go! I spoke in jest.
SOLLER.
No, no! I understand this longing in your breast.
If one a person sees who’s going to a ball
While one must go to bed, full hard ’tis after all.
There’ll be another soon.
SOPHIA.
Oh, yes, to wait I’m able.
Now, Soller, be discreet, and shun the gaming-table.
(To the HOST, who has meanwhile been standing in deep thought.)
And now, good night, papa. I’m off to bed, you see.
HOST
Good night, Sophia dear.
SOLLER.
Sleep well!
(Looking after her) Eight fair is she!
(He runs after her, and kisses her again at the door.
Sleep well, my lamb!
(To the HOST.) And you will also go to bed!
HOST.
A devil’s letter that! I’d like to hear it read!
(To SOLLER.) Now, Carnival! Good night!
SOLLER.
Thanks! Calm be your repose!
HOST.
Good Soller, when you go, take care the door to close!
(Exit.)
SOLLER.
You needn’t be alarmed!
SCENE VII.
SOLLER (alone).
What song will now be sung?
Oh, that accursed play! I wish the rogue were hung!
His figures were not fair, and I must bear it too!
He storms and fumes away: I know not what to do.
Suppose... Alcestes gold has got... and my false keys —
I’m sure at my expense he fain himself would please.
I long have hated him; around my wife he slinks;
And now, just for this once, I’ll be his guest, methinks.
But then, if it were known, there’d be the deuce to pay —
I’m now in such distress, I know no other way.
The gamester claims his gold, or threatens vengeance deep.
Then, Soller, courage take! The whole house is asleep.
And if it be found out, they’ll find me safely bedded:
Thieves oft escape who are to handsome women wedded.
(Exit)
ACT II.
Alcestes’s Room.
The stage is divided in its length into parlour and alcove.
On one side of the parlour stands a table, on which are papers and a strong box. At the bottom is a large door, and at the side a small one, opposite the alcove.
SCENE I.
SOLLER (in his domino, with a mask on his face, without shoes, a dark lantern in his hand, enters at the little door, and turns the light fearfully round the room: he then advances more boldly, takes off his mask and speaks).
ONE need not valiant be, in following one’s calling:
One through the world may go by cunning and by crawling.
While one, to get a bag of gold, or p’rhaps his death,
With pistols armed, will come and say with bated breath,
“Give up your purse, and lose no time about it, pray,”
As quietly as if he only said, Good day.
Another round you steals, and with his magic passes
And sleight-of-hand your watch soon in his power, alas! is;
And when you seek it, he says boldly to your face,
“I’ll steal it. Take good care;” and that is soon the case.
But Nature gave me ne’er endowments such as that:
My heart too tender is, my fingers are too fat.
Yet, not to be a rogue, is difficult indeed:
Each day the cash grows less, each day the more we need.
You now have made the leap: take care that you don’t fall!
Each person in the house believes I’m at the ball.
Alcestes at the fête is now; my wife’s alone:
Has constellation e’er a better aspect shown?
(Approaching the table)
Oh, come, thou holy one! Thou god in this strong box!
Without thee, e’en a king is scarcely orthodox.
Ye picklocks, many thanks! your merit is untold:
Through you I capture him, the mighty picklock, —
Gold! (Whilst he is trying to open the strong box.)
An extra clerk I once was in a court of justice:
I didn’t stop there long, — so little people’s trust is.
’Twas write, write, write, all day, with trouble still increasing:
The prospects were not good, the drudgery unceasing;
’Twas insupportable. A thief was caught one day:
False keys were on him found, and he was hanged straightway.
Tenacious of her rights is justice known to be:
A subaltern was I, the false
keys fell to me.
I picked them up. A thing may seem for little fit,
But there may come a time when you’ll be glad of it.
And now — (The loch springs open).
O lovely coin! I feel like one possessed.
(He puts money in his pocket.)
My pocket swells with cash, with rapture swells my breast —
Unless ’tis fright. But hark! Ye coward limbs!
Pooh, pooh!
Why tremble thus? — Enough!
(He looks into the strong box again, and takes more money.)
Once more! Yes, that will do.
(He closes it and starts.)
Again? There’s something stirs! This house was never haunted —
The devil ’tis, perchance! His presence isn’t wanted.
Is it a cat? But no! Tom-cats walk lighter, rather.
Be quick! They’re at the lock —
(.He springs into the alcove.)
SCENE II.
The HOST (entering at the side door with a wax candle). SOLLER.
SOLLER.
The deuce! It’s my wife’s father!
HOST.
’Tis folly to possess a nervous disposition:
Half guilty only yet, my heart’s in ebullition.
Inquisitive I ne’er in all my life have been,
But in that letter some great secret may be seen.
The papers are so dull, they long have nothing told:
The newest thing one hears is always one month old.
And then, indeed, it is a most excessive bore,
When each one says: “Oh, yes! I’ve read your tale before.”
Were I a cavalier, a minister I’d be;
Then all the couriers needs must bring their news to me.
This letter I can’t find. Perchance he left it not:
If so, confound it all! There’s nothing to be got.
SOLLER (aside).
You good old fool! I see the god of news and thieves
Less worship gets from you than he from me receives.
HOST.
I cannot find it — Hah! — Just hark! What noise is that
In the saloon? —
SOLLER.
Perchance he smells me!
HOST.
By the pat,
It is a woman’s foot.
SOLLER.
That hardly meets my case.
HOST (blows out his candle, and lets it fall, whilst in his confusion he cannot unlock the little door).
This lock still bothers me.
(.Pushes open the door, and exit.)
SCENE III.
SOPHIA, entering at the bottom door with a light. SOLLER.
SOLLER (aside, in the alcove).
It is a woman’s face!
Hell! Devil! ’Tis my wife! What can this indicate?
SOPHIA.
I quake at this bold step.
SOLLER.
’Tis she, as sure as fate!
A pretty rendezvous! But now suppose again
I showed myself! My neck would be in danger then.
SOPHIA.
Just follow in Love’s wake! With friendly mien he first
Allures you on awhile —
SOLLER.
I feel that I shall burst.
But I dare not —
SOPHIA.
But if you ever lose your way,
No ignis fatuus e’en such cruel tricks will play.
SOLLER.
A bog to you would prove less than this room a curse.
SOPHIA.
Matters have long gone ill, but now grow daily worse.
My husband gets quite wild. He always caused me trouble;
But now so bad is he, I hate him nearly double.
SOLLER.
You wretch!
SOPHIA.
He has my hand. Alcestes, as erewhile,
My heart possesses still.
SOLLER.
Enchantment, poison vile
Were not so bad I
SOPHIA.
This heart, which for him fiercely burned,
And which from him alone the art of love first learned —
SOLLER.
The deuce!
SOPHIA.
Was calm and cold, ere softened by Alcestes.
SOLLER.
Ye husbands, hear the tale that now by her confessed is!
SOPHIA.
Alcestes loved me well..
SOLLER.
That’s over long ago.
SOPHIA.
And how I loved him too!
SOLLER.
Mere child’s play, as you know.
SOPHIA.
Fate parted us; and, ah! my sins to expiate,
I needs must wed a brute. — Oh, what a dreadful fate!
SOLLER.
A brute am I? — A brute? A brute with horns, too now.
SOPHIA.
What see I?
SOLLER.
Madam, what?
SOPHIA.
My father’s candle! How
Could it come here? — Suppose.... If so, I needs must fly.
Perchance he’s watching us! —
SOLLER.
Your scourge, O conscience, ply I
SOPHIA.
Yet I can’t understand how he could lose it here.
SOLLER.
Fears she her father not, the devil she won’t fear.
SOPHIA.
Ah, no! all in the house in deepest slumber He.
SOLLER.
Ay, lust more potent is than fear of penalty.
SOPHIA.
My father is in bed. — How ever could it be?
Well, be it so!
SOLLER.
Alas!
SOPHIA.
Alcestes, where is he?
SOLLER.
Oh, could I but —
SOPHIA.
My heart forebodes some coming evil:
I love and fear him too.
SOLLER.
I fear him like the devil,
And more too. If he came, I’d say: “Good king infernal,
If you will take them off, I’ll owe you thanks eternal.”
SOPHIA.
Thou art too honest, heart! What crime committest thou?
Thou vowedst to be true? Why care for such a vow?
True to that man to be, who has no single merit,
Who is so very coarse, false, foolish?
SOLLER.
Thanks, I hear it!
SOPHIA.
If one may not detest such monsters for their pains,
I much prefer the land where devil-worship reigns.
He is a devil!
SOLLER.
What? A devil? Monster? Me!
I cannot bear it more. (He is about to spring out.)
SCENE IV.
ALCESTES (dressed with hat and sword, covered with a cloak, which he immediately takes off). THE ABOVE.
ALCESTES.
You’re waiting, then, I see.
SOPHIA.
Sophia came here first.
ALCESTES.
You fear?
SOPHIA.
I’m fainting nearly.
ALCESTES.
No, dearest, no?
SOLLER.
How fond! Preliminaries merely.
SOPHIA.
You feel how much this heart has suffered for your sake, —
This heart you understand: forgive the step I take!
ALCESTES.
Sophia!
SOPHIA.
Ne’er shall I, if you forgive it, rue.
SOLLER.
You’d better ask of me if I forgive it too.
SOPHIA.
What made me hither come? In truth, I scarce know why.
SOLLER.
I know it but too well.
SOPHIA.
As one that dreams am I.
SOLLER.
Would I were dreaming too!
SOPHIA.
A heart full of distress
I bring to you.
ALCESTES.
To tell one’s trouble makes it less.
SOPHIA.
A sympathetic heart like yours I ne’er did see.
SOLLER.
When you together yawn, you call that sympathy!
Delightful!
SOPHIA.
And when thus a perfect man I’ve found,
Why to your opposite am I for ever bound?
I have a heart which ne’er to virtue said adieu.
ALCESTES.
I know it.
SOLLER.
Yes, and I.
SOPHIA.
Though lovable are you,
One single word from me you never should have guessed,
Unless this hapless heart were hopelessly oppressed.
I day by day behold our house to ruin go.
The life my husband leads! How can we go on so!
I know he loves me not; my tears he never sees:
And when my father storms, him too must I appease.
Each morning with it brings fresh ground for provocation.
SOLLER (touched after a fashion).
Poor woman! I confess there’s cause for her vexation.
SOPHIA.
My husband has no wish to lead a proper life:
In vain I talk; no man has such a yielding wife.
He revels all the day, makes debts on ev’ry side:
At once he plays, fights, sneaks, and quarrels far and wide.
His only wit consists in folly and wild pranks,
His only cleverness is that of mountebanks.
He lies, traduces, cheats.
SOLLER.
She’s gath’ring now, I see,
Materials to compose my fun’ral eulogy.
SOPHIA.
The torments I endure are quite enough to kill,
Did I not know —
SOLLER.
Speak out!
SOPHIA.
Alcestes loves me still.
ALCESTES.
He loves, complains like you.
SOPHIA.
It mitigates my pain,
From one, at least, — from you, — compassion to obtain.
Alcestes, by this hand, this dear hand, I entreat
That you will ever keep your heart unchanged.
SOLLER.
How sweet
Her words are!
SOPHIA.
For this heart, which save for you ne’er glowed,
No other comfort knows than that by you bestowed.
ALCESTES.
I know of nought that’s fit to match your noble heart.
(He takes SOPHIA in his arms and kisses her.)
SOLLER.
Alas! will no kind fate appear, to take my part?
My heart is full of woe.
SOPHIA.
My friend!
SOLLER.
’Tis quite enough.
I’m altogether sick of friendship and such stuff.
And since it seems that they have nothing more to say,
I wish they’d kiss no more, and forthwith go their way!