Ah, the poor devil! And for that purpose, one of the kind.... Who then is it?
Why! You surely know her ... Frau von Lanski of Steinhof.
Ah, indeed--well, to be sure, hm--that is quite probable.
Their estate is quite close to the city ... There he could always go in the evenings ... If only the husband were not so rude. I should be afraid of him.
Well, you are not a lieutenant of hussars, darling.
Won't you drink your coffee, aunt? It will be quite cold.
Ah, the stupid fig-coffee. To be sure, your health is good, you don't need anything of the kind! (_drinks_) Richard, do you know, last night I saw a vision.
Well, what did you see this time, darling?
There was a wide chamber with many mirrors and lights--perhaps it was Versailles--perhaps the castle at Berlin. And hundreds of generals stood there and waited.... (_Excitedly_.) And suddenly the door was opened wide and at the side of the Emperor----
Drink, aunt--tell about it later--it excites you.
Yes, my sweet one, yes. (_Drinks and leans back exhausted_.) You know, Richard, perhaps they are to increase his pay.
Surely he has enough, darling. Do you wish him to gamble it away?
Very well, then, let him gamble it away. I find that in general we pay so little heed to him.... I am obliged to think all the time how he acted in a roundabout way in the matter of Foxblaze. He didn't trust himself even to tell it.
No, child--but just stop.... Besides the charger he already has two others ... And one of them is Mohammed! Such a big stable--it is only a nuisance to him.... Just consider!
Ah, it is surely only restlessness. Ah, I wish he were only----
(_Who had gone out, appears excitedly at the door on the right and calls softly_.) Major, Major!
Frau von Drosse (_turning round suddenly_).
Major (_rushes out. His voice is heard_).
(Frau von Drosse _breaks out in ecstatic laughter_.)
Quietly, aunt! Quietly! Don't excite yourself!
THE SAME. FRITZ VON DROSSE (_in hussar uniform, his mother's son, slender, delicate, very youthful, blond to the roots of his closely cropped hair, small curled moustache, erratic person. Uneasiness is veiled beneath a noisy cheerfulness_).
(_Goes to meet him with outstretched arms_.) My God! there he really is!
I should think he was! (_Presses her to his heart and strokes her hair, closes his eyes a moment, as if overcome with faintness_.) But be seated, mamma, be seated. Confound it, but I have ridden! And on the way, my horse lost another shoe.