piece of bread in bed?

Wendla.

No! no!

Martha.

I believe they enjoy it——even if they don't say so. If I ever have children I will let them grow up like the weeds in our flower garden. Nobody worries about them and they grow so high and thick——while the roses in the beds grow poorer and poorer every summer.

Thea.

If I have children I shall dress them all in pink. Pink hats, pink dresses, pink shoes. Only the stockings——the stockings shall be black as night! When I go for a walk they shall march in front of me.——And you, Wendla?

Wendla.

How do you know that you will have any?

Thea.

Why shouldn't we have any?

Martha.

Well, Aunt Euphemia hasn't any.

Thea.

You goose, that's because she isn't married.

Wendla.

Aunt Bauer was married three times and she didn't have a single one.

Martha.

If you have any, Wendla, which would you rather have, boys or girls?

Wendla.

Boys! boys!

Thea.

I, too, boys!

Martha.

So would I. Better twenty boys than three girls.

Thea.

Girls are tiresome.

Martha.

If I weren't a girl already I certainly wouldn't want to be one.

Wendla.

That's a matter of taste, I believe, Martha. I rejoice every day that I am a girl. Believe me, I wouldn't change places with a king's son.——That's the reason why I only want boys!

Thea.

But that's crazy, pure craziness, Wendla!

Wendla.

But it must be a thousand times more exciting to be loved by a man than by a girl!

Thea.

But you don't want to assert that Forest Inspector Pfälle loves Melitta more than she does him.

Wendla.

That I do, Thea. Pfälle is proud. Pfälle is proud because he is a forest inspector—for Pfälle has nothing.——Melitta is happy because she gets ten thousand times more than she is.

Martha.

Aren't you proud of yourself, Wendla?

Wendla.

That would be silly.

Martha.

In your place I should be proud of my appearance.

Thea.

Only look how she steps out——how free her glance is—how she holds herself, Martha. Isn't that pride?

Wendla.

Why not? I am so happy to be a girl; if I weren't a girl I should break down the next time——

(Melchior passes and greets them.)

Thea.

He has a wonderful head.

Martha.

He makes me think of the young Alexander going to school to Aristotle.

Thea.

Oh dear, Greek history!——I only know how Socrates lay in his barrel when Alexander sold him the ass' shadow.

Wendla.

He stands third in his class.

Thea.

Professor Knochenbruch says he can be first if he wants.

Martha.

He has a beautiful brow, but his friend has a soulful look.

Thea.

Moritz Stiefel?——He's a stupid!

Martha.

I've always gotten along well with him.

Thea.

He disgraces anybody who is with him. At Rilow's party he offered me some bon-bons. Only think, Wendla, they were soft and warm. Isn't that——? He said he had kept them too long in his trouser's pocket.

Wendla.

Only think, Melchi Gabor told me once that he didn't believe anything——not in God, not in a hereafter——in anything more in this world.

SCENE FOURTH.

A park in front of the grammar school. Melchior, Otto, George, Robert, Hans Rilow and Lämmermeier.

Melchior.

Can any of you say where Moritz Stiefel is keeping himself?

George.

It may go hard with him!——Oh, it may go hard with him!

Otto.

He'll keep on until he gets caught dead to rights.

Laemmermeier.

Lord knows, I wouldn't want to be in his skin at this moment!

Robert.

What cheek! What insolence!

Melchior.

Wha——Wha——what do you know?

George.

What do we know?——Now, I tell you——

Laemmermeier.

I wish I hadn't said anything!

Otto.

So do I——God knows I do!

Melchior.

If you don't at once——

Robert.

The long and the short of it is, Moritz Stiefel has broken into the Board Room.

Melchior.

Into the Board Room——?

Otto.

Into the Board Room. Right after the Latin lesson.

George.

He was the last. He hung back intentionally.

Laemmermeier.

As I turned the corner of the corridor, I saw him open the door.

Melchior.

The devil take——

Laemmermeier.

If only the devil doesn't take him.

George.

Perhaps the Rector didn't take the key.

Robert.

Or Moritz Stiefel carries a skeleton key.

Otto.

That may be possible.