Roses: Four One-Act Plays: Streaks of Light—The Last Visit—Margot—The Far-away PrincessSudermann, Hermann
General
Roses: Four One-Act Plays: Streaks of Light—The Last Visit—Margot—The Far-away Princess
Sudermann, Hermann
German drama -- Translations into English
No--no! (v. Wolters _turns the key in the keyhole unavailingly._) Won't
it work?--Heavens, why your hand is trembling. Let me have it.
v. Wolters (_with a last attempt at resistance_).
The keys were entrusted to _me_, Countess.
The Lady (_coaxingly_).
Oh, do let me have it. (_Sits at the writing-table and opens the
drawer. With a low cry of surprise._) Empty!
v. Wolters (_bending over her_).
Empty?
The Lady.
Are you sure that this was----?
v. Wolters.
Yes, that was the drawer in which he kept his private papers. I'm sure
of it.
The Lady (_staring straight ahead_).
Well, how can you explain----?
v. Wolters.
Perhaps he burned everything.
The Lady (_springing to her feet_).
And perhaps not!--Who knows?--This is the way he played with the honour
of the woman who gave him all! This is my thanks! This is the action of
a gentleman!
v. Wolters.
No gentleman, Countess, can do more than let himself be shot for a
woman.
The Lady.
Who asked him to do it? Was it my fault if jealousy of Renoir drove him
mad? And perhaps this is really his revenge! Perhaps we'll live to see
even more interesting disclosures!--This is my reward! This-- (Daisy
_appears at the door in the centre._) What do you want?
Daisy.
I beg your pardon. My lady is looking for--letters?
The Lady.
So you've been in there eavesdropping, have you?
Daisy.
I brought in a wreath.
The Lady.
Well, what do you know about my letters?
Daisy.
Here they are. (_Takes a small package of letters from her dress and
hands it to_ The Lady.) I intended to give them to you _secretly_ when
you left.
The Lady.
(_Snatches the letters from her hand and looks at them._) How do you
happen to have these letters?
Daisy (_wonderingly_).
Why, how should I happen to have them? He gave them to me.
The Lady.
To you? Who are you? Why to you?
Daisy.
Because he knew that I would do exactly what he told me to do.
The Lady (_to_ v. Wolters).
Can you understand this?
v. Wolters (_gently_).
What did he tell you to do, Daisy?
Daisy.
He said to me, "These letters belong to the lady who used to come to
see me sometimes. No one is to know about her--not even Herr von
Wolters.--When I am dead, the lady will----
v. Wolters.
Did he say that?
Daisy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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