The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann
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Chapter 239 : What? Tis violence that you did to me! You confused me! You broke me down! You pounced
What? 'Tis violence that you did to me! You confused me! You broke me down! You pounced on me like a wild beast! I know! I tried to get out by the door! An' you took hold an' you rent my bodice an' my skirt! I bled!
I might ha' gotten out by the door! Then you shot the latch! That's a crime, a crime! An' I'll denounce....
_BERND and AUGUST appear on the scene. After them KLEINERT and GOLISCH and the other field hands._
BERND
[_Close to STRECKMANN._] What's all this? What did you do to my la.s.s?
AUGUST
[_Pulls BERND back and thrusts himself forward._] 'Tis my place, father.
What did you do to Rosie?
STRECKMANN
Nothin'!
BERND
[_Coming forward again._] What did you do to the la.s.s?
STRECKMANN
Nothin'!
AUGUST
[_Approaching STRECKMANN once more._] You'll tell us now what you did to her!
STRECKMANN
Nothin'! The devil! I say nothin'!
AUGUST
You'll either be tellin' us now what you did to her--or ...
STRECKMANN
Or? Well, what? What about "or"?--Hands off!... Take your hands from my throat!!
KLEINERT
[_Trying to separate them._] Hold on, now.
STRECKMANN
Hands off, I tell you!
BERND
You'll have to take the consequences now! Either ...
AUGUST
What did you do to the girl?
STRECKMANN
[_Backing, in sudden fright, toward the pear tree, cries out:_] Help!
AUGUST
What did you do to the girl? Answer me that! I got to know that!
[_He has freed himself and faces STRECKMANN._
STRECKMANN
[_Lifts his arm and strikes AUGUST full in the face._] There's my answer!
That's what I did!
KLEINERT
Streckmann!
OLD MRS. GOLISCH
Catch hold o' August! He's fallin'!
HEAD MAID
[_Supports the falling man._] August!
BERND
[_Paying no attention to AUGUST, but addressing STRECKMANN:_] You'll have to account for this! It'll be brought home to you!
STRECKMANN
What? On account o' that there wench that's common to anybody as wants her....
[_Withdraws._
BERND
What was that he said ...?
KLEINERT
