STEWART KIDD MODERN PLAYS
Edited by Frank Shay
EYES THAT CANNOT SEE
EYES THAT CANNOT SEE
A PLAY IN ONE ACT
By
ALBERT GNUDTZMANN
Translated from the Danish by Arvid Paulson
[Illustration]
CINCINNATI
STEWART KIDD COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
COPYRIGHT, 1923, BY
STEWART KIDD COMPANY
[Illustration]
_All rights reserved_
EYES THAT CANNOT SEE is fully protected by copyright and no performance
may be given without the consent of the translator, Mr. Arvid Paulson,
who may be addressed in care of the publishers.
Printed in the United States of America
THE CAXTON PRESS
TO
THE MEMORY OF MY FRIEND
RICHARD MANSFIELD 2ND,
WHO DIED IN THE SERVICE OF HIS COUNTRY,
I DEDICATE THE ENGLISH VERSION OF THIS PLAY.
--A. P.
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ
HAMMELEV, _a public school teacher_
MRS. HAMMELEV, _his wife_
ANTON, _their son_
LOUISE THORSEN
KIRSTEN
The action of the play takes place in the living quarters of the
Hammelevs in a Danish country school.
Produced at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen for the first time on the
tenth of September, 1903.
THE STAGE
A living-room at the Hammelevs’, with low ceiling and antique
furniture. In the background two windows, through which is seen a
garden. Between the windows an old-fashioned linen closet. By the
windows, on the right, a platform with a sewing-table. A bird-cage
with a canary bird stands on the window-sill; white curtains; a number
of flower pots. Doors on each side of the stage. To the right a big
chiffonier. Nearer the footlights a smoking-table, above which, on the
wall, hangs a pipe-rack with pipes. On the left a sofa; in front of
it stands a table with a rocking-chair and a couple of other chairs.
Above the sofa hangs a mirror; on each side of the mirror portraits
of Luther and Melanchthon; underneath these, photographs of members
of the family. The room has the stamp of cozy homeliness--sunshine
outside--the sun rays pour into the room in broad streams through the
windows.
EYES THAT CANNOT SEE
SCENE I
(_Mrs. Hammelev and Kirsten. They are drinking coffee at the centre
table, which is covered with a small tablecloth_.)
KIRSTEN
Yes, Lavst’s promised. The carriage will be there, I’m sure. It’s all
been arranged.
MRS. HAMMELEV
Thank you very much, Kirsten. And remember now, it is the 8.20 train.
KIRSTEN
Oh, yes, yes--
MRS. HAMMELEV (_eagerly_)
And the carriage should be at the station in plenty of time. I should
say eight o’clock at the latest. So it must leave here at seven.
KIRSTEN
Oh, it don’t take no more than a half hour to get there.
MRS. HAMMELEV
I am always so afraid that something may happen. And if we should come
late! You must remember, Kirsten, that he is quite helpless. And in a
railroad station, especially, in the midst of people who think only of
themselves.
KIRSTEN
Yes--I wonder sometimes how he can travel like that, all alone,
without gettin’ into trouble, the poor boy! How helpless a man is
without a pair of eyes to see with!
MRS. HAMMELEV
Everything is in God’s power, Kirsten. And then you must know that by
this time he has become accustomed to helping himself. It is now seven
years since the misfortune came upon him.
KIRSTEN
Heavens! Is it really? Yes, time flies--indeed it does! I remember very
well the time when you and Mr. Hammelev took him to the doctor, and you
was told that poor Anton was goin’ to lose his eyesight. Both me and
Furst felt awful sorry over it.
MRS. HAMMELEV (_painfully touched_)
Yes, Kirsten, but--
KIRSTEN (_without interruption_)
It was an awful and terrible thing to think of! Such a nice-lookin’ boy
as he was! He had that curly hair of his that suited him so fine--and
them beautiful eyes of his--oh, what beautiful eyes he had, anyhow!
Poor Anton! Yes, we used to always call him “poor little Anton”, ’cause
he wasn’t very strong. But he was a pretty big lad at that time. Wasn’t
he just goin’ to graduate? Let’s see--he graduated from high school
when--
MRS. HAMMELEV
Twice--two years in succession he failed, and he used to be the first
one in his class, and then--(_Pauses_.) But, God be praised, he has
amounted to something in spite of all. He has turned out to be a very
clever boy--although he took up a different profession than we had
wanted him to.
KIRSTEN
Yes, both Mr. Hammelev and you wanted him to study to be a minister,
didn’t you? And what’s a musician! And _you_ was a minister’s daughter!
MRS. HAMMELEV
Musician! But, Kirsten, my son is not an ordinary musician. He is an
artist--yes--you know what that means, don’t you, Kirsten? He plays in
big halls where people gather just to hear music. Have I never read to
you what has been said of him in the newspapers?
KIRSTEN
Yes, thanks, and I must say it was a real pleasure and comfort for me
to hear, ’specially when it’s a person you have no right to expect too
much from; that Fate has struck like him and who must bend to the will
of our Lord, as long as it’s got to be. But it’s awful sad to think
that His choice should fall on poor Anton. I always thought, when I saw
him, that he was made to live in sunshine and light all the time. And
to think that he should have to wander in darkness!--as it is written
in the Bible.
MRS. HAMMELEV (_half to herself_)
Yes, Kirsten, there was a time when I thought as you do. Many a night I
have lain awake, struggling with God for my child. I wouldn’t let him
go until He blessed me. And when I saw that Anton’s sight, with every
day that passed, grew dimmer and dimmer, there was a moment when I
turned against Him, and in my foolishness wanted Him to account for His
acts. At times I almost thought it would be best if He would take the
child back to Him.
KIRSTEN (_with sincerity_)
Perhaps it would have been best.
MRS. HAMMELEV
No, Kirsten, it wouldn’t. And I shall never forgive myself that I once
in a dark moment let Anton understand that I did think so. Now it has
dawned upon me that God nevertheless has heard my prayers. He has given
my son new light; but He has lighted it in the depth of his soul.
_There_ grow flowers and sparkle springs as pure as neither you nor I
have imagination to dream of, Kirsten. (_Noise outside of voices of
children, mingled with the clatter of their wooden shoes._) I suppose
school is over.
KIRSTEN (_rising from her chair_)
Good heavens! Is it that late? Oh, I got to be goin’!
MRS. HAMMELEV
Oh, no. Stay a while, Kirsten. Mr. Hammelev will be in soon. We’ll have
another cup of coffee.