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away.” When he didn’t come back, I imagined for a long
time that he had died, and I often wept bitterly about it in
the night. But after a while I met him in the street and
with him the woman for whom he forsook my mother. I stood
inside a door-way so that he might not see me, -- I, a
child, was ashamed before him. Yes, I soon understood that
my mother was quite free, free as if she had really been
widowed.
Haus.
You made causes for us, is that what you mean?
(A little distantly)
Hein.
Forgive me, I express myself bodily.
(More warmly)
But why should not we speak naturally of simple and
natural things, especially at times like this? I felt
impelled to take your hand as if it were indeed my father’s –
for I know how clearly my mother loved you.
(It has grow gradually dark. Outside the fence, in
the street, the lamps have been lighted)
Haus.
Loved me -- that would be strange indeed. When one is
achtung, all the world is in love. Friends, Heinrich, we
were -- old people, old friends. Do you understand? Or
has the word no meaning when one is young? And how could