Schmarowski is sinkin' all his money in bricks an' mortar. MRS. FIELITZ Nonsense! FIELITZ It's a fac'! That thing has taken hold o' him like a sickness. MRS. FIELITZ Main thing is that you agrees. Don't you? FIELITZ Not a bit! I don't agree to nothin'. I been a agent in my time an' took care o' the most complexcated affairs. Yes, an' Wehrhahn patted me on the back an' was mighty jolly 'cause I'd been so sly ... No, mother, I ain't so green.--I c'n keep accounts! I knows how to use my pen! I'm more'n half a lawyer! That feller ain't goin' to get the better o' me. _SCHMAROWSKI enters very bustling. He has changed the style of his garments considerably--light Spring overcoat, elegant little hat and cane. He carries a roll of building plans._ SCHMAROWSKI Mornin', Mrs. Fielitz. How are you now? Did you get over that slight cold? MRS. FIELITZ Thank you kindly; I gets along. Take a seat. SCHMAROWSKI Yes, I will. I've reely deserved it. I've been on my feet since four o'clock this morning! Lord only knows how I succeed in staggerin' along. FIELITZ Mornin'. I'm here too, you know. SCHMAROWSKI Good mornin'. Didn't notice you at all. I have my head so full these days ... FIELITZ Me too. SCHMAROWSKI Certainly. Don't doubt it! Have you anything to say to me? If so, go ahead, please! FIELITZ Not this here moment! I got other things to attend to just now. I gotta go an' meet a gentleman at the station on account o' them Russian rubber shoes. Later. Sure. But not just now. [_He stalks out excitedly._ SCHMAROWSKI That cobbler makes us all look ridiculous. He plays off in all the public houses. The other day this thing happened out there in the waiting-room where all the best people were sittin': he just made his way to 'em an' talked all kinds of rot about the factories he was goin' to build and such like. MRS. FIELITZ The man acts as if he didn't have his right mind no more. SCHMAROWSKI But you're gettin' along all right. MRS. FIELITZ Tolerable. Oh, yes. Only I can't hardly stand the hammerin' no more. I wish we was out o' this here house! SCHMAROWSKI Patience! For Heaven's sake, have patience now! Things have gone pretty smoothly so far. Don't let's begin to hurry now. Just a little patience. I'm as anxious as any one for us to get settled. But I can't do no wonders. I'm glad the roof is on. I know what that cost me--an' then all these annoyances atop o' that. [_He shows her a number of opened letters._] Anonymous, all of 'em, of course. The meanest accusations of Fielitz, of you, an', of course, of myself. MRS. FIELITZ I don't know what them people wants. When you got trouble you needn't go huntin' for insult. That's the way things is, an' different they won't be. They questioned us up an' down. Three times I had to go an' run to court. If there'd been anythin' to find out, they'd ha' found it out long ago. SCHMAROWSKI