Come now, mother, don't fall on a man like that. Give me time to get my breath first. An' look who I've brought with me. _MORITZ JAEGER comes stooping in at the low door. Reserve soldier, newly discharged. Middle height, rosy-cheeked, military carriage. His cap on the side of his head, hussar fashion, whole clothes and shoes, a clean shirt without collar. Draws himself up and salutes._ JAEGER [_In a hearty voice._] Good-evenin', auntie Baumert! MOTHER BAUMERT Well, well now! and to think you've got back! An' you've not forgotten us? Take a chair, then, lad. EMMA [_Wiping a wooden chair with her apron, and pushing it towards MORITZ._] An' so you've come to see what poor folks is like again, Moritz? JAEGER I say, Emma, is it true that you've got a boy nearly old enough to be a soldier? Where did you get hold o' him, eh? [_BERTHA, having taken the small supply of provisions which her father has brought, puts meat into a saucepan, and shoves it into the oven, while AUGUST lights the fire._ BERTHA You knew weaver Finger, didn't you? MOTHER BAUMERT We had him here in the house with us. He was ready enough to marry her; but he was too far gone in consumption; he was as good as a dead man. It didn't happen for want o' warnin' from me. But do you think she would listen? Not she. Now he's dead an' forgotten long ago, an' she's left with the boy to provide for as best she can. But now tell us how you've been gettin' on, Moritz. OLD BAUMERT You've only to look at him, mother, to know that. He's had luck. It'll be about as much as he can do to speak to the likes o' us. He's got clothes like a prince, an' a silver watch, an' thirty shillings in his pocket into the bargain. JAEGER [_Stretching himself consequentially, a knowing smile on his face._] I can't complain, I didn't get on so badly in the regiment. OLD BAUMERT He was the major's own servant. Just listen to him--he speaks like a gentleman. JAEGER I've got so accustomed to it that I can't help it. MOTHER BAUMERT Well, now, to think that such a good-for-nothin' as you was should have come to be a rich man. For there wasn't nothin' to be made of you. You would never sit still to wind more than a hank of yarn at a time, that you wouldn't. Off you went to your tomtit boxes an' your robin redbreast snares--they was all you cared about. Isn't it the truth I'm telling? JAEGER Yes, yes, auntie, it's true enough. It wasn't only redbreasts. I went after swallows too. EMMA Though we were always tellin' you that swallows was poison. JAEGER What did I care?--But how have you all been gettin' on, auntie Baumert? MOTHER BAUMERT Oh, badly, lad, badly these last four years. I've had the rheumatics--just look at them hands. An' it's more than likely as I've had a stroke o' some kind too, I'm that helpless. I can hardly move a limb, an' nobody knows the pains I suffers. OLD BAUMERT She's in a bad way, she is. She'll not hold out long. BERTHA