Books: Moral
L >>
Ludwig Thoma >> Moral
Pages:
1 | 2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6
BEERMANN. Do the Scriptures command that we must be poor to be
honorable?
FRAU LUND. No, Beermann, but if I still remember, they speak of a
camel and a needle.
BOLLAND. The ladies evidently are not acquainted with the purposes
of our new society. I am sure they would subscribe to every one of
the principles which are incorporated in our By-laws.
FRAU LUND. I certainly would not.
BOLLAND [feeling in his side pocket]. At least read our "Appeal to
the Public."
FRAU LUND [refusing]. No, thank you.
BOLLAND. Every woman will rejoice when she reads it.
FRAU LUND. Do you think so? How exceedingly amusing your societies
are! So, cards and bowling no longer offer sufficient
entertainment. You have to moralize.
HAUSER. I can't help thinking of the notorious starvation freak at
the circus who gets his meals on the sly everyday.
DR. WASNER. Of course, every conviction can be made ridiculous
once it's regarded as insincere. You shouldn't accuse without
proof.
HAUSER. Herr Professor, politeness requires that each individual
be regarded as the exception--but not an entire club.
BOLLAND. It is a pity, indeed, that a great movement like ours is
disposed of by a few trifling remarks. That embitters our task of
curing the nation of social diseases.
FRAU LUND. Where did you get your Doctor's license to cure?
DR. WASNER. It's sad enough that the cure is left to only a few of
us.
HAUSER. Well, I'll remain a patient. You'll need a few anyway to
keep up your business.
BEERMANN. I consider all this a very cheap kind of humor. I used
to joke about these matters myself, but if you will only look upon
this problem from a serious point of view, when your eyes are
opened to the ...
FRAU BEERMANN. ... Your newly acquired ways of talking are quite
unbearable.
BEERMANN. Please, don't make a scene.
FRAU BEERMANN. We have been married for twenty-six years; have
been very fortunate with our own children. Why worry about other
people?
BEERMANN. You are not logical, my love. The mere fact that I
brought up my children properly is all the more reason for my
joining this movement. ...
FRAU BEERMANN. You didn't lose much sleep about their education.
BEERMANN. Evidently I didn't neglect anything.
FRAU LUND. I'm afraid you pride yourselves on a degree of
willpower you never exercised.
BEERMANN. Never exercised? My dear Frau Lund, what do you know
about the temptations which confront us men. What does a woman
know about them?
FRAU LUND. The only thing we women don't know about is the manner
in which these temptations terminate.
BEERMANN. Our movement intends to do away with these very
deceptions. We want to protect the traditions of the home which
women treasure.
FRAU LUND. No. We, women also treasure modesty. We dislike to see
men pretend to have better morals than they actually have.
BEERMANN. Seriously, Frau Lund. Public immorality must hurt you
more.
FRAU LUND. You arc mistaken. It requires a genuine manly feeling
to sympathize with misery.
DR. WASNER. Misery and vice are different problems.
FRAU LUND. They're not. And that is why we will never agree.
FRAU BEERMANN. All the more reason why my husband should not set
himself up as an example. He knows nothing of worry or care.
BEERMANN. We can never subscribe to Frau Lund's principles.
FRAU LUND. No principles, please!
BOLLAND. Out of sheer opposition you will say that you hold
different ones from us.
FRAU LUND. No. I will say that I hold none at all.
BOLLAND. and WASNER [together]. But, gnadige Frau!
FRAU LUND. I can't help it. I lost them some place on my journey
through life. I have learned that all your principles have loop
holes through which people can conveniently slip out and take
their friends along with them. So I had my choice of either
surrendering them or dishonestly preaching them to others.
DR. WASNER. Real principles of life are never given up.
HAUSER [with sarcasm]. Cheers from the gallery!
BOLLAND. Principles of morality are the laws of nature--they are
her dictates.
FRAU LUND. Is that the reason you have started your Society for
the Suppression of Vice? Do you imagine your by-laws are stronger
than the laws of nature?
DR. WASNER. May I make just one remark?
BEERMANN. What is it?
DR. WASNER [stroking his beard]. In summing up the matter we can
come to this decision: women have a beautiful privilege. Certain
facts in life remain a closed book to them. We, men, unfortunately
have to come into contact with them.
HAUSER. Did you say UNFORTUNATELY?
DR. WASNER. Please don't interrupt. I maintain "unfortunately"!
For the last four years, I have been persistently following
obscene literature, and to-day I have gotten together a collection
of it, which I dare say is pretty complete. So I am speaking of
matters about which I am thoroughly informed. [With importance.]
The degree of vulgarity our people have reached is incredible.
FRAU LUND. And you have been the "persistent collector" of this
vulgarity?
DR. WASNER. Let me assure you that I took upon myself this task
with loathing.
HAUSER. Herr Professor, in all my life I have never met a man who
for four years voluntarily did something which was loathsome to
him.
DR. WASNER. You have no business to make such a remark.
HAUSER. Have you derived no satisfaction from it at all?
DR. WASNER. Satisfaction--if you mean the satisfaction of
participating in the uplift of our people.
FRAU LUND. Uplift? Our reformers capitalize our national lack of
good taste. Good proof of that are the moral works of art which
you patronize.
DR. WASNER. The matter we are discussing is more serious than
reforming bad taste.
FRAU LUND. There is nothing more serious.
DR. WASNER [knowingly]. If you but knew, Frau Lund!
FRAU LUND. I don't have to call and see your collection. Frankly,
to me, the most obscene picture in your gallery could not be more
disgusting than the talk you carry on in your meetings.
BEERMANN. Oh! Oh!
FRAU LUND. The nudity of the human body is not disgusting. It is
the nudity of your mind. No vice is as repulsive as that virtue of
yours which loudly uncovers itself in public--in market places.
Vice has at least the shame to hide itself.
BEERMANN [to Bolland]. Can you understand her?
BOLLAND. I must admit, I can't.
DR. WASNER. Gnadige Frau stated that vice hides itself. But in
spite of that it exists.
BOLLAND. Yes, she admitted that it exists.
DR. WASNER. Shall we tolerate it merely because it crawls into
dark nooks and corners?
FRAU LUND. You reformers! Let more sunshine into this world and
vice will not find so many dark corners and nooks to hide in.
BOLLAND. You would not be as opposed to us if you had a son who
would be exposed to the temptations of our great cities.
FRAU LUND. I would be ashamed of myself if for personal reasons I
became narrow-minded.
BEERMANN. But just stop to think! Picture a healthy young man in
his prime falling into the hands of one of these abominable
creatures!
FRAU LUND. I could picture something worse than that.
BEERMANN. Still worse?
FRAU LUND. For instance, if he should, with all the credulity of
youth, enter into the work of your society.
BOLLAND. Well! Well!
BEERMANN. You don't seem to take anything seriously to-day.
FRAU LUND. Very seriously; this young man perhaps does reach the
stage where he sincerely pities your so-called abominable
creature. Then he has really advanced in his morality. Let the
pity impress itself deeply upon him and your abominable creature
has preached better to him than all your high-sounding phrases.
BOLLAND. I am simply dumbfounded.
DR. WASNER. Then you even believe that our society exerts a bad
influence?
FRAU LUND [very positively]. Yes.
BOLLAND [with irony]. Fancy! University Professors,
philanthropists and a general who are with us in this work--they
are, of course, the ones who are likely to corrupt the morals of
the younger generation. Frau Lund, no doubt, would like to send
our young men to the good Ladies of the Pavement.
DR. WASNER. In what way is our influence bad?
FRAU LUND [with warmth]. The young man who joins your society does
it only to ape you and to advance his own ends and vainglory. He
forever deprives himself of understanding the meaning of life and
of becoming helpful to those who suffer.
BOLLAND. Well what do you think of such statements?
FRAU BEERMANN. They are splendid. I would be very thankful if my
boy would embody the ideals of Frau Lund.
BEERMANN. Lena, I simply forbid you to say such things.
FRAU BEERMANN. Really?
BEERMANN. Everybody knows that Frau Lund is a radical, but I don't
want you to fall into that habit.
FRAU BEERMANN. I don't acquire new habits as rapidly as you.
HAUSER [to Beermann]. Don't get excited. A politician must give
everyone an opportunity to express his views.
DR. WASNER. I teach young people and I heartily wish they'd
continue to seek their ideals among high minded men and not in the
dark city streets.
BOLLAND. Right! And not in the dark city streets.
FRAU LUND. Nor there, Herr Kommerzienrat, where the veil of shame
is rudely torn from inborn sensitiveness and it is shorn of every
secret charm.
DR. WASNER. Correct! We do want to deprive it of its charm.
FRAU LUND. You succeed in doing that; no tenderness can survive
the brutal frankness of your meetings.
DR. WASNER. It is not a national German trait to sugar-coat sin.
FRAU LUND. Why do you confound all lack of refinement with the
national character?
DR. WASNER. Because it is good German to call a spade a spade.
BEERMANN [getting up]. Why argue to no purpose? Let's start our
game of skat.
BOLLAND. Because it appears to be a conflict of two different
philosophies.
BEERMANN [rises, goes to card table, opens a drawer, takes out a
deck of cards and opens them]. It's always the same old story.
Never start anything with women! They must have the last word.
[Sits down at card table. Bolland gets up and sits beside him.]
FRAU LUND [laughing]. Spoken again like a typical reformer.
DR. WASNER [rising]. I don't want to continue this argument, but
if by any chance you have gained the impression that I regard this
matter from a prejudiced view point, I will cheerfully admit it. I
do.
BEERMANN [calling]. Oh, do come on, Herr Professor.
DR. WASNER [turning to card table]. I'm coming. [To others.] I
admit with pride that I am prejudiced. For me there exists only
one question: How can I best serve my fatherland?
BOLLAND. Herr Professor!
DR. WASNER [turning to table]. Just a moment. ... [To others.] Let
the sturdy qualities of our people be conserved. That stand is
unassailable. Then I will be sure that my efforts have at least
...
BEERMANN [loudly]. But, my dear Wasner!
WASNER [not dismayed, continuing]. ... at least a national scope.
HAUSER. Wouldn't you rather play skat, professor?
WASNER [going over to card table]. There remains only one thing
for me to say. If I have used sharp words, I want to apologize.
[Takes a seat.]
BEERMANN. You deal, Professor.
DR. WASNER [shuffling the cards and talking at the same time]. For
me there exists but one ideal. That which Tacitus described as it
once prevailed among the old Teutons. Quamquam severa illic
matrimonia nec ullam morum partem magis laudaveris. [He lets
Bolland cut and then deals.] The most praiseworthy trait of the
Teutons was the strictness of their marriage customs. Nam prope
soli Barbarorum singulis uxoribus contenti sunt. They were almost
the only barbarians to content themselves with a single wife.
BEERMANN [loudly]. Tournee!
BOLLAND. I'll go you!
BEERMANN. Twenty!
BOLLAND. I'll better that!
BEERMANN. Take it! Gras-Solo!
[They play.]
[Hauser, Frau Lund, Frau Beermann remain sitting at right.]
FRAU LUND. At last the Fatherland is saved.
FRAU BEERMANN. It's the only occupation for which nature intended
them. They should not tinker with national problems.
HAUSER. Have patience. Political ambition dies out after the first
defeat.
FRAU BEERMANN. ... which I hope will happen.
HAUSER. That's as certain as fate. Else he never would have been
nominated.
BEERMANN [calling from the card table]. I have pretty sharp
hearing!
HAUSER. A very fine acquisition, Beermann, when you grow old.
BOLLAND [throwing a card on the table]. Fifty-nine and four make
sixty-three! The rest you can take.
(They throw down their cards; Bolland collects them and shuffles.)
WASNER [half turning to Hauser], And then there is the celebrated
passage, "Ergo septa pudicitia agunt, nullis ... spectaculorum
illecebris corruptae."
BEERMANN. I have six cards.
BOLLAND. The bottom one belongs to the Professor.
WASNER [as before, continuing]. So the wife lived surrounded by
tenderness and care ... and so forth, "Literarum secreta. ..."
Secret communications were not tolerated by either husband or
wife.
BEERMANN. Please drop that Tacitus. It's your chance to lead. ...
WASNER. I pass. ...
HOLLAND. So do I.
BOLLAND [loudly and enthusiastically]. That's the way to get at
them! Trumps! And trumps again.
WASNER [murmuring]. "Paucissima adulteria in tam numerosa gente.
..." [Gradually lapses into silence and then continues to play
with energy.]
FRAU LUND [with a glance towards the card table]. Why do we take
our principles so seriously. ... It's really ridiculous how our
every opinion soon turns into religious beliefs.
WASNER. The matter is dead serious.
FRAU LUND. Who will think of it to-morrow?
HAUSER [nodding towards card table]. Not they, of course. But
there are cleverer people. The so-called thinking public in
Germany must have some national problem to solve. It finds some
such, readily enough in order to play with it. Meanwhile they take
no notice that the party in power [Footnote: Men with the brass
buttons.] are lining their pockets.
FRAU LUND. Haven't they always been doing that?
HAUSER. Yes, but not with such. ease. Here and there they were
rapped over the knuckles. But nowadays they could cart away the
entire capitol.
FRAU LUND. There's not so much left to-day.
HAUSER. A couple of pieces anyhow to take along as keepsakes.
FRAU LUND. In my days I saw one reform after another on the
bargain counter; but we women remain mere spectators while ideals
come and go; we can not realize how much they mean to men.
HAUSER. My dear Frau Lund, if a real reform should effectively
rise among us some day, then you women will have to lend a helping
hand. With those [nodding towards card-table] kindergarten heroes
nothing can be accomplished.
FRAU BEERMANN. What influence can we exert so long as men organize
their societies for the protection of women's virtue!
HAUSER. These henpecked gentlemen always nominate themselves
chastity's guardians.
FRAU BEERMANN. They are of importance only when they can get some
one to listen. I'd like to go to their meetings and tell them
that.
HAUSER. Their meetings--bosh! Their sort only couple their
nonsense with a few self-evident generalities which no one would
really oppose. No, first of all they must be educated and that you
women alone can accomplish.
FRAU LUND. You say that as if we had any influence on public
opinion.
HAUSER. You do all the applauding. The whole game is played for
you. If you withdraw your applause not a single one of the
peacocks of virtue will open up his gospel feathers for
exhibition. It is indeed of great importance to you that they do
not banish all refinement from our social life.
FRAU LUND [citing].
[Footnote: in original "FRAU LUND [zitierend].
"Ja, da eur Wonnedienst noch glanzte,
Wie ganz anders, anders war es da!
Da man deine Tempel noch bekranzte. ...
DR. WASNER [hat beim Zitieren der Schillerischer Verse
heruber gehorcht und fallt nun mit tiefen Basse ein]. ...
Venus Amathusia."]
"Yes, while still thy sanctuaries of pleasure
Crowned this earth like in Arcadia
Joy had no penalty nor trader's measure. ..."
DR. WASNER [when the citation began listened over his cards, now
falls in with deep bass]. "... Venus Amathusia."
BOLLAND [angrily breaking in]. Man alive, why didn't you play your
Ace of Spades? If you had brought out that Ace you'd have a trump-
-then you'd beat this with a trump ... and then another trum. ...
BEERMANN. Now, beloved friends and countrymen, no post-mortem
speeches. [While dealing cards.] You cut, Bolland.
BOLLAND [cutting cards]. Make use of your trumps, Herr Professor.
I am trying to play into your hands.
DR. WASNER. I thought ...
BOLLAND. You didn't. If you had you'd play differently.
BEERMANN [speaking to Frau Lund, while dealing]. How far have you
gotten with your moralizing? Have we agreed yet--[Laughing.] Yes;
yes; these women folks!
WASNER [arranging cards in his hand]. They were citing Schiller a
moment ago. We must not forget, ladies, that it was Schiller
himself who awakened the national spirit of our race.
HAUSER. Your national spirit unfortunately found its way into the
strangest kinds of containers.
DR. WASNER. I decidedly protest against such a poor opinion. If
the sincere religious sentiment of the German element ...
BOLLAND [interrupting him]. We are waiting for you, Herr
Professor. Are you finally going to announce your cards?
DR. WASNER [continuing his pathetic tone]. I pass.
HAUSER. The steady contact with school children keeps our
educators refreshingly naive. That man still believes in the
superiority of the Teutonic element.
FRAU LUND. And in the stability of our special German moral
standard.
HAUSER. Until some little scandal crops up again. By the way, we
shall soon have one right in our city.
FRAU BEERMANN [with interest]. Here?
HAUSER. To-morrow you'll read all about it in the newspapers. The
police have made a discovery which may prove more than they
bargained for.
FRAU BEERMANN. Here? [Beerman, head sideways, listens over his
cards.]
HAUSER. Last night the police arrested a woman who kept a very
open house. She colored it by going under a fancy French name, and
they say only entertained the best of society. She kept a diary
which fell into the hands of the police.
BEERMANN [he leaves his seat, comes forward, right]. A diary?
BOLLAND [drops his cards and rises]. What sort of a diary?
HAUSER. Oh! Just a naughty little inventory of all of her
visitors.
BEERMANN. What is the name of the lady?
HAUSER. Some French name which sounds to me like rouge.
BEERMANN. I can't understand how you could forget her name.
BOLLAND. I can't either as long as you seem to know all about it.
FRAU BEERMANN [to Beermann]. But, Fritz, why should you worry
about it?
BEERMANN. Well ... am I the President of the Vice Suppression
Society or, am I not ...?
CURTAIN
ACT II
(An office at Police Headquarters. To rear on the left stands the
Assessor's desk. To the right against the wall, the desk of
Reisacher, the police clerk. Left front is a sofa with two chairs.
On the right wall is a telephone. Side entrance left. Another
entrance in the middle. Stroebel and Reisacher are seated with
their backs to one another. Stroebel is reading a newspaper;
Reisacher is writing. Short pause.)
STROEBEL [half turning]. Reisacher!
REISACHER [also turning]. Yes, Herr Assessor.[Footnote: An
assessor is a petty police official.]
STROEBEL. Are you familiar with the expression "those higher up"?
REISACHER. Yes, Herr Assessor.
STROEBEL. What do you understand by it?
REISACHER. Those are the folks who are something and have money
somewhere.
STROEBEL. Is it used to express contempt or class hatred?
REISACHER [eagerly]. Well ... well! "The higher ups" are
respected.
STROEBEL. Are you certain?
REISACHER. Absolutely.
[They both turn around to their former positions; Stroebel
continues to read, and Reisacher to write. Short pause.]
STROEBEL [half turning]. Reisacher!
REISACHER [does likewise]. Yes, Herr Assessor.
STROEBEL. After all, it means class hatred.
REISACHER. No, no.
STROEBEL. Pay attention. Here it says [he reads]: "Of course, for
those higher up there are no laws." That means, I take it, that
the rich are beyond the control of the law. By "control of the
law," I wish you to understand I am attacking the humiliating and
anarchistic notion that the law does not apply equally to rich and
poor. Also I want to besmirch the rich, by designating them by a
slang expression.
REISACHER. Yes, Herr Assessor.
STROEBEL. Then how can you say it does not express class hatred
and contempt?
REISACHER. Because, then again, you see, people who have money are
respected anyway.
STROEBEL. You will never learn to think precisely, Reisacher.
REISACHER. Yes, Herr Assessor.
[Both resume their former positions. Short pause. Police
Commissioner, Freiherr van Simbach, enters left. Stroebel lays
aside his paper, rises and salutes. Reisacher writes hurriedly.]
COMMISSIONER [Footnote: President of Police, in original.]
'Morning, Herr Assessor. [To Reisacher.] Take your work outside,
Reisacher, until I have finished. [Reisacher exit through middle
door.] I want to ask you a few questions, Herr Stroebel. [Stroebel
bows. The Commissioner during the conversation takes center of
stage and speaks nonchalantly and somewhat drawingly.] I read your
report. Day before yesterday, that was on Saturday, you ordered
the arrest of a certain woman.
STROEBEL. Yes, Commissioner.
COMMISSIONER. Well, what about her?
STROEBEL. According to the report of Lieutenant Schmuttermaier, we
have in our hands a very dangerous person.
COMMISSIONER. Is that so!
STROEBEL. Within a short time she has almost demoralized our city.
COMMISSIONER. She has been in the city about three or four years. ...
STROEBEL. She has, according to the report.
COMMISSIONER. In what way has she been dangerous? Did bald headed
gentlemen loosen up a bit in her house or are there special
charges against her?
STROEBEL. No special ones, but her whole behavior. She had a
beautiful apartment in the best residential district. According to
the report, the neighbors began to talk about her. She dressed in
a rather fast and fashionable manner. ...
COMMISSIONER. Then because she did not cater to the common people,
you consider her so terrible?
STROEBEL. No, Commissioner.
COMMISSIONER. I thought not. Remember, please, I don't want you to
get any of the popular ideas about the corruption of our best
society. Slit skirts cause as much harm. [Stroebel bows.] What is
her name?
STROEBEL. Ninon De Hauteville. But her real name is Therese
Hochstetter.
COMMISSIONER. H-a-u-t-e V-i-l-l-e?
STROEBEL. She comes of a good family. Her father was a Peruvian
consul. When he lost his money, she married a consular secretary.
He divorced her four years ago.
COMMISSIONER. Indeed. So she is a person of refinement.
STROEBEL. But she has ...
COMMISSIONER. ... A demoralizing influence. I know all about that.
Tell me, what made you arrest her?
STROEBEL [with importance]. Eight days ago, I received a letter
severely rebuking the police because her place was tolerated. ...
COMMISSIONER. Who was the letter from?
STROEBEL [hesitatingly']. It was ... really ... anonymous.
COMMISSIONER. I hope that you are very careful about anonymous
communications.
STROEBEL. Generally, I pay little attention to them. But this
letter was so full of details, I simply had to consider it. Of
course, only as a hint and I intended to get proof. I gave it to
Schmuttermaier and told him to keep the Hochstetter woman under
strict surveillance. Saturday at noon we obtained positive
evidence,
COMMISSIONER. Then?
STROEBEL. Then I ordered Schmuttermaier to raid the place ...
COMMISSIONER. ... During which you found a diary in her
apartments?
STROEBEL. Yes, Commissioner; a diary with the names of her
visitors. The dates and their social standing. Everything.
COMMISSIONER. Have you finished reading it?
STROEBEL. No, sir. I just glanced at it. I only got it from
Schmuttermaier an hour ago. I was not in the office yesterday.
COMMISSIONER [thoughtfully]. It's too late to do anything to-day.
[Consulting his watch.] Let me see. Bring me an exact report of
all important names contained in the diary ... at ten to-morrow
morning.
STROEBEL. Yes, Commissioner, at ten o'clock.
COMMISSIONER. And remember, it's very important that you make this
report personally. Don't let the clerk see the diary. It has not
yet been in his hands?
STROEBEL [going to his desk]. No. It's locked up in my desk.
COMMISSIONER. Time enough to bring it to me tomorrow morning when
you make your report.
STROEBEL. How do you want me to get my data, Commissioner? Shall I
summon the important people involved?
COMMISSIONER [with emphasis]. Only ... the important ... names ...
that's all. By the way, how far have you gone in the case? Have
you taken any further steps?
STROEBEL. No. I will examine the Hochstetter woman in a little
while. ...
COMMISSIONER. And Schmuttermaier? Has he orders to make any
further raids?
STROEBEL. Not yet. I want to read the diary first.
COMMISSIONER. Above all, I do not want him to act without
instructions. People of no importance like to do important things.
Pages:
1 | 2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6