Pandora's Box: A Tragedy in Three ActsWedekind, Frank
General
Pandora's Box: A Tragedy in Three Acts
Wedekind, Frank
German drama -- Translations into English; Tragedies (Drama)
SCHIGOLCH. It looks to me as if God had left *him* pretty completely.
(_Lays the coat over the chair again and makes for the cubby-hole._)
There's nothing doing with these people. The country's best time's
behind it!
ALVA. Life is never as bad as it's painted. (_He, too, creeps back._)
SCHIGOLCH. Not even a silk muffler he's got and yet in Germany we
creep on our bellies before this rabble.
ALVA. Come, let's vanish again.
SCHIGOLCH. She only thinks of herself, and takes the first man that
runs across her path. Hope the dog remembers her the rest of his
life! (_They disappear, left, shutting the door behind them. Lulu
re-enters, setting the lamp on the table. Hunidei follows._)
LULU. Will you come to see me again? (_Hunidei stops her mouth. She
looks upward in a sort of despair and shakes her head. Hunidei,
putting his coat on, approaches her grinning; she throws her arms
around his neck; he gently frees himself, kisses her hand, and turns
to the door. She starts to accompany him, but he signs to her to stay
behind and noiselessly leaves the room. Schigolch and Alva
re-enter._)
LULU. (_Tonelessly._) How he has stirred me up!
ALVA. How much did he give you?
LULU. (_As before._) Here it is! All! Take it! I'm going down again.
SCHIGOLCH. We can still live like princes up here.
ALVA. He's coming back.
SCHIGOLCH. Then let's just retire again, quick.
ALVA. He's after his prayer-book. Here it is. It must have fallen out
of his coat.
LULU. (_Listening._) No, that isn't he. That's some one else.
ALVA. Some one's coming up. I hear it quite plainly.
LULU. Now there's some one tapping at the door. Who may that be?
SCHIGOLCH. Probably a good friend he's recommended us to. Come in!
(_Countess Geschwitz enters, in poor clothes, with a canvas roll in
her hand._)
GESCHWITZ. (_To Lulu._) If I've come at a bad time, I'll turn around
again. The truth is, I haven't spoken to a living soul for ten days.
I must just tell you right off, I haven't got any money. My brother
never answered me at all.
SCHIGOLCH. Your ladyship would now like to stretch her feet out under
our table?
LULU. (_Tonelessly._) I'm going down again.
GESCHWITZ. Where are you going in this pomp?--However, I come not
wholly empty-handed. I bring you something else. On my way here an
old-clothes man offered me twelve shillings for it, but I could not
force myself to part from it. You can sell it, though, if you want
to.
SCHIGOLCH. What is it?
ALVA. Let us see it. (_Takes the canvas and unrolls it. Visibly
rejoiced._) Oh, by God, it's Lulu's portrait!
LULU. (_Screaming._) Monster, you brought that here? Get it out of my
sight! Throw it out of the window!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account