around_) Where am I?… Oh, yes … I actually went home with the woman,
it seems… (_He rises quickly, notices her bed_) Oh, there she is…
Queer, what sort of things can happen, even at my age. I haven’t the
faintest notion, did they carry me up here? No… I remember—coming into
the room… I was still awake then, or waked up … or … or maybe it’s only
the room that reminds of something?… ’Pon my soul, yes, of course …
it was yesterday I saw it… (_Looks at his watch_) What! yesterday, a
couple of hours ago!—But, I knew, that something had to happen… I felt
it in my bones … when I began to drink yesterday, I felt that … and
what has happened?… Nothing… Or did there…? ’Pon my soul … for … for
ten years it hasn’t happened to me that I don’t know… Well, let’s be
honest at any rate, I was drunk… If I only knew since when… I remember
perfectly when Bobby and I went into the all-night café, and … no, no…
We left together … and then on the way… Yes, that’s it, Bobby and I
rode in my carriage… But, why do I worry my brains about it? It doesn’t
really matter. Let’s see that we get out of here. (_Rises. The lamp
shakes_) Oh! (_Looks at the sleeping GIRL_) Well, she sleeps the sleep
of the just. I don’t remember anything—but I’ll put the money on the
table … and then, good-by… (_He stands in front of her, and looks at
her for a considerable time_) If I didn’t know what she is! (_Studies
her_) I’ve known many who didn’t look as virtuous even in their sleep.
’Pon my soul… Bobby would say again, I’m philosophizing, but the truth
is, sleep makes all equal, so it seems to me—like its brother, death…
Hm, I should like to know, whether… No, I’d remember that… No, no, I
dropped like a log on the sofa right away … and nothing happened… It is
unbelievable how much alike all women sometimes look… Well, let’s go
(_He is about to go_) Oh, of course.
(_He takes his wallet, and is about to take out a banknote_)
GIRL
(_Awakening_) Well … who’s there so early in the morning—?
(_Recognizing him_) Good morning, sonny!
COUNT
Good morning. Have a good sleep?
GIRL
(_Stretching_) Oh, come here. Give me a little kiss.
COUNT
(_Bends down to her, considers, and draws back_) I was just going…
GIRL
Going?
COUNT
It’s really about time.
GIRL
You want to go away?
COUNT
(_Half-embarrassed_) Well…
GIRL
Well, good-by, you’ll come some other time.
COUNT
Yes, good-by. But, won’t you give me your hand?
GIRL
(_Reaches out her hand from under the cover_)
COUNT
(_Takes her hand, and kisses it mechanically, and becoming aware of it,
he smiles_) Just as with a princess. Besides, if one only…
GIRL
Why do you look at me that way?
COUNT
If one only sees the head, as now … anyway, each and every one looks
innocent when she first awakes … ’pon my soul, one might imagine
almost anything, if the kerosene didn’t smell so…
GIRL
Yes, the lamps are always a nuisance.
COUNT
How old are you really?
GIRL
Well, what would you guess?
COUNT
Twenty-four.
GIRL
Oh, of course!
COUNT
Older?
GIRL
I’m not yet twenty.
COUNT
And how long have you been…
GIRL
A year.
COUNT
You began early.
GIRL
Better too early, than too late.
COUNT
(_Sits down upon her bed_) Tell me, are you really happy?
GIRL
Am I, what?
COUNT
I mean, are things going well with you?
GIRL
Oh, things always go well with me.
COUNT
Yes… Well, did it never occur to you that you might become something
else?
GIRL
What might I become?
COUNT
Well… You are a very pretty girl. You might take a lover, for example.
GIRL
Do you imagine I haven’t any?
COUNT
Yes, I know that—But I mean just one single one, who would take care of
you, so that you wouldn’t have to go with everybody.
GIRL
I don’t go with everybody. Thank heaven, I don’t have to. I pick those
I want.
COUNT
(_Looks around the room_)
GIRL
(_Noticing it_) We move downtown next month, to the Spiegelgasse.
COUNT
We? Who?
GIRL
Well, the Madam, and the couple of other girls who live here.
COUNT
There are others—
GIRL
Next door … don’t you hear?… that is Milly. She was in the café too.
COUNT
I hear some one snoring.
GIRL
That’s Milly. She will snore the whole day long until ten o’clock
to-night. Then she gets up, and goes to the café.
COUNT
What an awful life!
GIRL
Of course it is. It annoys the Madam a lot. I’m always on the streets
by noon.
COUNT
What do you do on the streets at noon?
GIRL
What do you suppose I do? I’m going on my beat then.
COUNT
Oh, yes … of course… (_Rises, takes out his wallet, and puts a banknote
on the table_) Good-by!
GIRL
Going already… Good-by… Call again soon.
(_Turns on her side_)
COUNT
(_Stands still_) Tell me, is everything a matter of indifference to you
already?
GIRL
What?
COUNT
I mean, don’t you get pleasure out of anything any more?
GIRL
(_Yawning_) I want to sleep.
COUNT
It’s all the same to you whether he is young or old or whether he…
GIRL
Why do you ask?
COUNT
… Well (_Suddenly hitting upon a thought_) ’pon my soul, now I know of
whom you remind me, it’s…
GIRL
Do I look like some one?
COUNT
Unbelievable, unbelievable. Now please, don’t talk, at least not for
a minute… (_Looking at her_) The very same features. (_He kisses her
suddenly on the eyes_), the very image.
GIRL
Well…
COUNT
’Pon my soul, it’s too bad that you … aren’t something different… You
could make your fortune!
GIRL
You talk just like Frank.
COUNT
Who is Frank?
GIRL
The waiter in our café.
COUNT
In what way am I just like Frank?
GIRL
He is also always telling me I might make my fortune, and wanting me to
marry him.
COUNT
Why don’t you?
GIRL
No thank you… I don’t want to marry, no, not for any price… Later on,
perhaps.
COUNT
The eyes … the very same eyes… Bobby would surely call me a fool.—But I
must kiss your eyes once more … so … and now God bless you, now I must
go.
GIRL
Good-by…
COUNT
(_At the door_) Tell me … aren’t you a bit surprised?…
GIRL
At what?
COUNT
That I don’t want anything of you.
GIRL
There are many men who aren’t in the mood in the morning.
COUNT
Of course… (_To himself_) Absurd, that I expect to be surprised… Well,
good-by… (_He is near the door_) But really, I’m disappointed. I ought
to know that women like her care only about money … what am I saying
… it is beautiful, that at least she doesn’t pretend; should make one
glad… (_Aloud_) Do you know, I shall come to see you again soon?
GIRL
(_With closed eyes_) All right.
COUNT
When are you at home?
GIRL
I’m always at home. You only have to ask for Leocadia.
COUNT
Leocadia… All right—Well, God bless you. (_At the door_) The wine is
still in my head. But after all it is sublime… I am with a woman like
her and haven’t done anything but kiss her eyes, because she reminded
me of some one… (_Turns toward her_) Tell me, Leocadia, does it often
happen that any one leaves you in this way?
GIRL
What way?
COUNT
As I do.
GIRL
In the morning?
COUNT
No … have you ever had any one with you,—who didn’t want anything of
you?
GIRL
No, that has never happened to me.
COUNT
Well, what do you think then? Do you think I didn’t like you?
GIRL
Why shouldn’t you like me? You liked me well enough by night.
COUNT
I like you now, too.
GIRL
But you liked me better last night.
COUNT
What makes you think that?
GIRL
Why ask such foolish questions?
COUNT
Last night … well, tell me, didn’t I drop right down on the sofa?
GIRL
Certainly … with me.
COUNT
With you?
GIRL
Yes, don’t you remember?
COUNT
I did … both of us…
GIRL
But you fell asleep right away.
COUNT
Right away… So … that’s what happened?…
GIRL
Yes, sonny. But you must have been terribly drunk, that you don’t
remember.
COUNT
So… And yet … there is a faint resemblance… Good-by… (_Listens_) … What
is the matter?
GIRL
The servant is up. Give her a tip as you go out. The outside door is
open, so you won’t have to give anything to the janitor.
COUNT
(_In the anteroom_) Well… It would have been beautiful, if I had kissed
her only on the eyes. It would have been almost an adventure… But it
wasn’t my destiny. (_The servant opens the door_) Ah—here… Good-night.—
SERVANT
Good morning!
COUNT
Of course … good morning … good morning.
FOOTNOTES
[1] The Luna Park of Vienna.
[2] A Parisian dancer, famous in the nineties.
[3] A monotonous, treeless region in the great plain of Hungary.
[4] A provincial town in Hungary about 60 miles south of Vienna.
End of Project Gutenberg's Hands Around [Reigen], by Arthur Schnitzler