42
ARTHUR SCHNITZLER RECLAIMED
GENIA: Please, Otto.
GENIA: We had a party in your honor.
OTTO: You won’t be able to lie. You’ll betray yourself somehow, or you’ll confess.
NATTER: Yes, it was a splendid meal.
GENIA: It’s possible. OTTO: (With a sudden resolve.) Let me speak to him. GENIA: Otto…
FRIEDRICH: Really? Would you be so good as to have them bring me a cup of black coffee, Genia. NATTER: You were gone longer than you intended, Hofreiter.
OTTO: It’s the only way. You know I’m right. Anything else would be dishonorable.
FRIEDRICH: Yes. (Fixes him with a glance.) Are those your children romping about there on the lawn?
GENIA: I will tell him after you’re gone. Tomorrow, perhaps today.
ADELE: Yes, I thought Percy would be here.
OTTO: And what will happen?
(STANZIDES and FRAU WAHL have walked to the rear meanwhile.)
GENIA: Nothing, I expect. And you’ll never come here again, never, promise me, never, not in two years, never. OTTO: (As if enlightened.) You love him. You still love him. That’s where you’re drifting. (FRAU WAHL, NATTER, ADELE, and STANZIDES come from the tennis court. ERNA and PAUL play on.) FRIEDRICH: (Appears in his tennis attire.) Good afternoon, Genia. (FRIEDRICH kisses her on the brow. He greets the others also. To FRAU WAHL, who does not take his hand.) FRIEDRICH: Well, Mamma Wahl, still angry with me?
FRIEDRICH: Well, when is he coming? Accepts invitations to English castles, the rascal. GENIA: I think he’s going to surprise us today or tomorrow with my sister…because I haven’t heard from him for three days. (ERNA and PAUL come from the tennis court.) PAUL: Herr Hofreiter. ERNA: Good evening, Friedrich. FRIEDRICH: Well, how are you? PAUL: Fraulein Erna has beaten me again. FRIEDRICH: So, did you enjoy the rest of your stay at Völs Lake?
GENIA: We haven’t seen Doctor Mauer lately.
ERNA: Yes, it was splendid. Even without you—imagine that! Really, it wasn’t very nice of you to disappear so suddenly. Oh, and thanks for the card. I guess you visited some interesting places.
FRIEDRICH: He should be here today. I’ve written him.
FRIEDRICH: Your fame is celebrated in the paper today, Erna.
GENIA: So, when did you arrive in Vienna?
FRAU WAHL: We’ve seen it.
FRIEDRICH: Last night. I would have come out sooner, but it was impossible.
FRIEDRICH: You have that paper here? An interesting rag, isn’t it?
FRAU WAHL: I’m not speaking with you. Or Doctor Mauer.