BAUER. [_To himself._] That's the way it goes ... a man's own wife and children ...
MRS. BAUER. [_Attending to the dinner. Irritably._] Fritz, if you would clean that up out there--and Mrs. Carroll wants her waste-basket. You musta forgot to send it up again.
[_He goes out and leaves the door open. She stands her flat-iron on the ledge of the range to cool and puts her ironing-board away, watching him at the dumb-waiter while he picks up the glass and cleans up the milk on the cement floor. He disappears for a moment, then he comes in again, goes to a drawer and takes out rags and a bottle of polish._
MRS. BAUER. [_Pushing the clothes-basket out of the way._] This ain't cleanin' day, Fritz.
BAUER. [_Dully, putting the polish back into the drawer._] That's so.
MRS. BAUER. [_Comforting him._] You've got to eat a good dinner and then go up-stairs and fix that sink for Mrs. Mohler and the drain for Mrs. McAllister.
BAUER. [_In a tense voice._] I tell you I can't stand it.... I tell you, Miene....
BAUER. People laugh in my face. [_Nods in the direction of the street._] Frazer's boy standin' on the stoop calls his dog away when it runs up to me like it always does.
MRS. BAUER. Dogs know better'n men who's good to them.
BAUER. He acted like he thought I'd kick it.
MRS. BAUER. You've got all kinds of foolishness in your head now.... You sent up Carroll's basket?
MRS. BAUER. Well---- [_She checks herself._
MRS. BAUER. It's settin' right beside the other dumb-waiter, [_He goes out._] Oh, Gott!--Oh, Gott!--Oh, Gott!
[_Enter_ KARL, _and_ FRITZI. FRITZI _is crying_.
MRS. BAUER. [_Running to them._] What's the matter?
[_She hushes them and carefully closes the door._
KARL. The boys make fun of us; they mock us.
FRITZI. They mock us--"Miau! Miau!" they cry, and then they go like this----
[FRITZI _imitates kicking and breaks out crying afresh_.
MRS. BAUER. Hush, Fritzi, you mustn't let your father hear.
KARL. I don't want to go to school this afternoon.
MRS. BAUER. [_Turning on him fiercely._] Why not? [_In an undertone._] You talk that way before your little brother.--Have you no sense?
FRITZI. [_Beginning to whimper._] I d-d-d-on't want to go to school this afternoon.
MRS. BAUER. You just go 'long to school and mind your own business.