soberly, defiantly._] Little--Julie--there's something--I want to tell
you--like when you go to a restaurant--and you've finished eating--and
it's time--to pay--then you have to count up everything--everything
you owe--well--I beat you--not because I was mad at you--no--only
because I can't bear to see anyone crying. You always cried--on my
account--and, well, you see,--I never learned a trade--what kind of a
caretaker would I make? But anyhow--I wasn't going back to the
carousel to fool with the girls. No, I spit on them all--understand?
JULIE
Yes.
LILIOM
And--as for Hollinger--he's good enough--Mrs. Muskat can get along all
right with him. The jokes he tells are mine--and the people laugh when
he tells them--but I don't care.--I didn't give you anything--no
home--not even the food you ate--but you don't understand.--It's true
I'm not much good--but I couldn't be a caretaker--and so I thought
maybe it would be better over there--in America--do you see?
JULIE
Yes.
LILIOM
I'm not asking--forgiveness--I don't do that--I don't. Tell the
baby--if you like.
JULIE
Yes.
LILIOM
Tell the baby--I wasn't much good--but tell him--if you ever talk
about me--tell him--I thought--perhaps--over in America--but that's no
affair of yours. I'm not asking forgiveness. For my part the police
can come now.--If it's a boy--if it's a girl.--Perhaps I'll see the
Lord God today.--Do you think I'll see Him?
JULIE
Yes.
LILIOM
I'm not afraid--of the police Up There--if they'll only let me come up
in front of the Lord God Himself--not like down here where an officer
stops you at the door. If the carpenter asks you--yes--be his
wife--marry him. And the child--tell him he's his father.--He'll
believe you--won't he?
JULIE
Yes.
LILIOM
When I beat you--I was right.--You mustn't always think--you mustn't
always be right.--Liliom can be right once, too.--It's all the same to
me who was right.--It's so dumb. Nobody's right--but they all think
they are right.--A lot they know!
JULIE
Yes.
LILIOM
Julie--come--hold my hand tight.
JULIE
I'm holding it tight--all the time.
LILIOM
Tighter, still tighter--I'm going---- [_Pauses._] Julie----
JULIE
Good-bye. [_LILIOM sinks slowly back and dies. JULIE frees her hand.
THE DOCTOR enters with the FIRST POLICEMAN._]
DOCTOR
Good evening. His wife?
JULIE
Yes, sir. [_Behind the DOCTOR and POLICEMAN enter MARIE, WOLF, MOTHER
HOLLUNDER, YOUNG HOLLUNDER and MRS. MUSKAT. They remain respectfully
at the doorway. The DOCTOR bends over LILIOM and examines him._]
DOCTOR
A light, if you please. [_JULIE fetches a burning candle from the dark
room. The DOCTOR examines LILIOM briefly in the candle-light, then
turns suddenly away._] Have you pen and ink?
WOLF
[_Proffering a pen._] A fountain-pen--American----
DOCTOR
[_Takes a printed form from his pocket; speaks as he writes out the
death-certificate at the little table._] My poor woman, your husband
is dead--there's nothing to be done for him--the good God will help
him now--I'll leave this certificate with you. You will give it to the
people from the hospital when they come--I'll arrange for the body to
be removed at once. [_Rises._] Please give me a towel and soap.
POLICEMAN
I've got them for you out here, sir. [_Points to door at back._]
DOCTOR
God be with you, my good woman.
JULIE
Thank you, sir. [_The DOCTOR and POLICEMAN exit. The others slowly
draw nearer._]
MARIE
Poor Julie. May he rest in peace, poor man, but as for you--please
don't be angry with me for saying it--but you're better off this way.
MOTHER HOLLUNDER
He is better off, the poor fellow, and so are you.
MARIE
Much better, Julie . . . you are young . . . and one of these days
some good man will come along. Am I right?
WOLF
She's right.
MARIE
Julie, tell me, am I right?
JULIE
You are right, dear; you are very good.
YOUNG HOLLUNDER
There's a good man--the carpenter. Oh, I can speak of it now. He comes
here every day on some excuse or other--and he never fails to ask for
you.
MARIE
A widower--with two children.
MOTHER HOLLUNDER
He's better off, poor fellow--and so are you. He was a bad man.
MARIE
He wasn't good-hearted. Was he, Wolf?
WOLF
No, I must say, he really wasn't. No, Liliom wasn't a good man. A good
man doesn't strike a woman.
MARIE
Am I right? Tell me, Julie, am I right?
JULIE
You are right, dear.
YOUNG HOLLUNDER
It's really a good thing for her it happened.
MOTHER HOLLUNDER
He's better off--and so is she.
WOLF
Now you have your freedom again. How old are you?
JULIE
Eighteen.
WOLF
Eighteen. A mere child! Am I right?
JULIE
You are right, Wolf. You are kind.
YOUNG HOLLUNDER
Lucky for you it happened, isn't it?
JULIE
Yes.
YOUNG HOLLUNDER
All you had before was bad luck. If it weren't for my mother you
wouldn't have had a roof over your head or a bite to eat--and now
Autumn's coming and Winter. You couldn't have lived in this shack in
the Winter time, could you?
MARIE
Certainly not! You'd have frozen like the birds in the fields. Am I
right, Julie?
JULIE
Yes, Marie.
MARIE
A year from now you will have forgotten all about him, won't you?
JULIE
You are right, Marie.
WOLF
If you need anything, count on us. We'll go now. But tomorrow morning
we'll be back. Come, Marie. God be with you. [_Offers JULIE his
hand._]
JULIE
God be with you.
MARIE
[_Embraces JULIE, weeping._] It's the best thing that could have
happened to you, Julie, the best thing.
JULIE
Don't cry, Marie. [_MARIE and WOLF exit._]
MOTHER HOLLUNDER
I'll make a little black coffee. You haven't had a thing to eat today.
Then you'll come home with us. [_MOTHER HOLLUNDER and her son exit.
MRS. MUSKAT comes over to JULIE._]
MRS. MUSKAT
Would you mind if I--looked at him?
JULIE
He used to work for you.
MRS. MUSKAT
[_Contemplates the body; turns to JULIE._] Won't you make up with me?
JULIE
I wasn't angry with you.
MRS. MUSKAT
But you were. Let's make it up.
JULIE
[_Raising her voice eagerly, almost triumphantly._] I've nothing to
make up with _you._
MRS. MUSKAT
But I have with you. Everyone says hard things against the poor dead
boy--except us two. You don't say he was bad.
JULIE
[_Raising her voice yet higher, this time on a defiant, wholly
triumphant note._] Yes, I _do._
MRS. MUSKAT
I understand, my child. But he beat me, too. What does that matter?
I've forgotten it.
JULIE
[_From now on answers her coldly, drily, without looking at her._]
That's your own affair.
MRS. MUSKAT
If I can help you in any way----
JULIE
There's nothing I need.
MRS. MUSKAT
I still owe him two kronen, back pay.
JULIE
You should have paid him.
MRS. MUSKAT
Now that the poor fellow is dead I thought perhaps it would be the
same if I paid you.
JULIE
I've nothing to do with it.
MRS. MUSKAT
All right. Please don't think I'm trying to force myself on you. I
stayed because we two are the only ones on earth who loved him. That's
why I thought we ought to stick together.
JULIE
No, thank you.
MRS. MUSKAT
Then you couldn't have loved him as I did.
JULIE
No.
MRS. MUSKAT
I loved him better.
JULIE
Yes.
MRS. MUSKAT
Good-bye.
JULIE
Good-bye. [_MRS. MUSKAT exits. JULIE puts the candle on the table near
LILIOM'S head, sits on the edge of the stretcher, looks into the dead
man's face and caresses it tenderly._] Sleep, Liliom, sleep--it's no
business of hers--I never even told you--but now I'll tell you--now
I'll tell you--you bad, quick-tempered, rough, unhappy, wicked--_dear_
boy--sleep peacefully, Liliom--they can't understand how I feel--I
can't even explain to you--not even to you--how I feel--you'd only
laugh at me--but you can't hear me any more. [_Between tender
motherliness and reproach, yet with great love in her voice._] It was
wicked of you to beat me--on the breast and on the head and face--but
you're gone now.--You treated me badly--that was wicked of you--but
sleep peacefully, Liliom--you bad, bad boy, you--I love you--I never
told you before--I was ashamed--but now I've told you--I love you,
Liliom--sleep--my boy--sleep. [_She rises, gets a Bible, sits down
near the candle and reads softly to herself, so that, not the words,
but an inarticulate murmur is heard. The CARPENTER enters at back._]
CARPENTER
[_Stands near the door; in the dimness of the room he can scarcely be
seen._] Miss Julie----
JULIE
[_Without alarm._] Who is that?
CARPENTER
[_Very slowly._] The carpenter.
JULIE
What does the carpenter want?
CARPENTER
Can I be of help to you in any way? Shall I stay here with you?
JULIE
[_Gratefully, but firmly._] Don't stay, carpenter.
CARPENTER
Shall I come back tomorrow?
JULIE
Not tomorrow, either.
CARPENTER
Don't be offended, Miss Julie, but I'd like to know--you see, I'm not
a young man any more--I have two children--and if I'm to come back any
more--I'd like to know--if there's any use----
JULIE
No use, carpenter.
CARPENTER
[_As he exits._] God be with you. [_JULIE resumes her reading. FICSUR
enters, slinks furtively sideways to the stretcher, looks at LILIOM,
shakes his head. JULIE looks up from her reading. FICSUR takes fright,
slinks away from the stretcher, sits down at right, biting his nails.
JULIE rises. FICSUR rises, too, and looks at her half fearfully. With
her piercing glance upon him he slinks to the doorway at back, where
he pauses and speaks._]
FICSUR
The old woman asked me to tell you that coffee is ready, and you are
to come in. [_JULIE goes to the kitchen door. FICSUR withdraws until
she has closed the door behind her. Then he reappears in the doorway,
stands on tiptoes, looks at LILIOM, then exits. Now the body lies
alone. After a brief silence music is heard, distant at first, but
gradually coming nearer. It is very much like the music of the
carousel, but slower, graver, more exalted. The melody, too, is the
same, yet the tempo is altered and contrapuntal measures of the
thieves' song are intertwined in it. Two men in black, with heavy
sticks, soft black hats and black gloves, appear in the doorway at
back and stride slowly into the room. Their faces are beardless,
marble white, grave and benign. One stops m front of the stretcher,
the other a pace to the right. From above a dim violet light
illuminates their faces._]
THE FIRST
[_To LILIOM._] Rise and come with us.
THE SECOND
[_Politely._] You're under arrest.
THE FIRST
[_Somewhat louder, but always in a gentle, low, resonant voice._] Do
you hear? Rise. Don't you hear?
THE SECOND
We are the police.
THE FIRST
[_Bends down, touches LILIOM'S shoulder._] Get up and come with us.
[_LILIOM slowly sits up._]
THE SECOND
Come along.
THE FIRST
[_Paternally._] These people suppose that when they die all their
difficulties are solved for them.
THE SECOND
[_Raising his voice sternly._] That simply by thrusting a knife in
your heart and making it stop beating you can leave your wife behind
with a child in her womb----
THE FIRST
It is not as simple as that.
THE SECOND
Such things are not settled so easily.
THE FIRST
Come along. You will have to give an account of yourself. [_As both
bow their heads, he continues softly._] We are God's police. [_An
expression of glad relief lights upon LILIOM'S face. He rises from the
stretcher._] Come.
THE SECOND
You mortals don't get off quite as easy as that.
THE FIRST
[_Softly._] Come. [_LILIOM starts to walk ahead of them, then stops
and looks at them._] The end is not as abrupt as that. Your name is
still spoken. Your face is still remembered. And what you said, and
what you did, and what you failed to do--these are still remembered.
Remembered, too, are the manner of your glance, the ring of your
voice, the clasp of your hand and how your step sounded--as long as
one is left who remembers you, so long is the matter unended. Before
the end there is much to be undone. Until you are quite forgotten, my
son, you will not be finished with the earth--even though you _are_
dead.
THE SECOND
[_Very gently._] Come. [_The music begins again. All three exit at
back, LILIOM leading, the others following. The stage is empty and
quite dark save for the candle which burns by the stretcher, on which,
in the shadows, the covers are so arranged that one cannot quite be
sure that a body is not still lying. The music dies out in the
distance as if it had followed LILIOM and the two POLICEMEN. The
candle flickers and goes out. There is a brief interval of silence and
total darkness before_
THE CURTAIN FALLS
SCENE SIX
SCENE--_In the Beyond. A whitewashed courtroom. There is a
green-topped table; behind it a bench. Back Center is a door with a
bell over it. Next to this door is a window through which can be seen
a vista of rose-tinted clouds._
_Down right there is a grated iron door. Down left another door._
_Two men are on the bench when the curtain rises. One is richly, the
other poorly dressed._
_From a great distance is heard a fanfare of trumpets playing the
refrain, of the thieves' song in slow, altered tempo._
_Passing the window at back appear LILIOM and the two POLICEMEN._
_The bell rings._
_An old GUARD enters at right. He is bald and has a long white beard.
He wears the conventional police uniform._
_He goes to the door at back, opens it, exchanges silent greetings
with the two POLICEMEN and closes the door again._
_LILIOM looks wonderingly around._
THE FIRST
[_To the old GUARD._] Announce us. [_The GUARD exits at left._]
LILIOM
Is this it?
THE SECOND
Yes, my son.
LILIOM
This is the police court?
THE SECOND
Yes, my son. The part for suicide cases.
LILIOM
And what happens here?
THE FIRST
Here justice is done. Sit down. [_LILIOM sits next to the two men. The
two POLICEMEN stand silent near the table._]
THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN
[_Whispers._] Suicide, too?
LILIOM
Yes.
THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN
[_Points to the POORLY DRESSED MAN._] So's he. [_Introducing
himself._] My name is Reich.
THE POORLY DRESSED MAN
[_Whispers, too._] My name is Stephen Kadar. [_LILIOM only looks at
them._]
THE POORLY DRESSED MAN
And you? What's your name?
LILIOM
None of your business. [_Both move a bit away from him._]
THE POORLY DRESSED MAN
I did it by jumping out of a window.
THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN
I did it with a pistol--and you?
LILIOM
With a knife. [_They move a bit further away from him._]
THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN
A pistol is cleaner.
LILIOM
If I had the price of a pistol----
THE SECOND
Silence!
[_The POLICE MAGISTRATE enters. He has a long white beard, is bald,
but only in profile can be seen on his head a single tuft of
snow-white hair. The GUARD reënters behind him and sits on the bench
with the dead men. As the MAGISTRATE enters, all rise, except LILIOM,
who remains surlily seated. When the MAGISTRATE sits down, so do the
others._]
THE GUARD
Yesterday's cases, your honor. The numbers are entered in the docket.
THE MAGISTRATE
Number 16,472.
THE FIRST
[_Looks in his notebook, beckons the RICHLY DRESSED MAN._] Stand up,
please. [_THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN rises._]
THE MAGISTRATE
Your name?
THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN
Doctor Reich.
THE MAGISTRATE
Age?
THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN
Forty-two, married, Jew.
THE MAGISTRATE
[_With a gesture of dismissal._] Religion does not interest us
here--why did you kill yourself?
THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN
On account of debts.
THE MAGISTRATE
What good did you do on earth?
THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN
I was a lawyer----
THE MAGISTRATE
[_Coughs significantly._] Yes--we'll discuss that later. For the
present I shall only ask you: Would you like to go back to earth once
more before sunrise? I advise you that you have the right to go if you
choose. Do you understand?
THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN
Yes, sir.
THE MAGISTRATE
He who takes his life is apt, in his haste and his excitement, to
forget something. Is there anything important down there you have left
undone? Something to tell someone? Something to undo?
THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN
My debts----
THE MAGISTRATE
They do not matter here. Here we are concerned only with the affairs
of the soul.
THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN
Then--if you please--when I left--the house--my youngest son,
Oscar--was asleep. I didn't trust myself to wake him--and bid him
good-bye. I would have liked--to kiss him good-bye.
THE MAGISTRATE
[_To THE SECOND._] You will take Dr. Reich back and let him kiss his
son Oscar.
THE SECOND
Come with me, please.
THE RICHLY DRESSED MAN
[_To THE MAGISTRATE._] I thank you. [_He bows and exits at back with
THE SECOND._]
THE MAGISTRATE
[_After making an entry in the docket._] Number 16,473.
THE FIRST
[_Looks in his notebook, then beckons LILIOM._] Stand up.
LILIOM
You said _please_ to him. [_He rises._]
THE MAGISTRATE
Your name?
LILIOM
Liliom.
THE MAGISTRATE
Isn't that your nickname?
LILIOM
Yes.
THE MAGISTRATE
What is your right name?
LILIOM
Andreas.
THE MAGISTRATE
And your last name?
LILIOM
Zavocki--after my mother.
THE MAGISTRATE
Your age?
LILIOM
Twenty-four.
THE MAGISTRATE
What good did _you_ do on earth? [_LILIOM is silent._] Why did you
take your life? [_LILIOM does not answer. THE MAGISTRATE addresses THE
FIRST._] Take that knife away from him. [_THE FIRST does so._] It will
be returned to you, if you go back to earth.
LILIOM
Do I go back to earth again?
THE MAGISTRATE
Just answer my questions.
LILIOM
I wasn't answering then, I was asking if----
THE MAGISTRATE
You don't ask questions here. You only answer. Only answer, Andreas
Zavocki! I ask you whether there is anything on earth you neglected to
accomplish? Anything down there you would like to do?
LILIOM
Yes.
THE MAGISTRATE
What is it?
LILIOM
I'd like to break Ficsur's head for him.
THE MAGISTRATE
Punishment is our office. Is there nothing else on earth you'd like to
do?
LILIOM
I don't know--I guess, as long as I'm here, I'll not go back.
THE MAGISTRATE
[_To THE FIRST._] Note that. He waives his right. [_LILIOM starts back
to the bench._] Stay where you are. You are aware that you left your
wife without food or shelter?
LILIOM
Yes.
THE MAGISTRATE
Don't you regret it?
LILIOM
No.
THE MAGISTRATE
You are aware that your wife is pregnant, and that in six months a
child will be born?
LILIOM
I know.
THE MAGISTRATE
And that the child, too, will be without food or shelter? Do you
regret that?
LILIOM
As long as I won't be there, what's it got to do with me?
THE MAGISTRATE
Don't try to deceive us, Andreas Zavocki. We see through you as
through a pane of glass.
LILIOM
If you see so much, what do you want to ask me for? Why don't you let
me rest--in peace?
THE MAGISTRATE
First you must earn your rest.
LILIOM
I want--only--to sleep.
THE MAGISTRATE
Your obstinacy won't help you. Here patience is endless as time. We
can wait.
LILIOM
Can I ask something--I'd like to know--if Your Honor will tell
me--whether the baby will be a boy or a girl.
THE MAGISTRATE
You shall see that for yourself.
LILIOM
[_Excitedly._] I'll see the baby?
THE MAGISTRATE
When you do it won't be a baby any more. But we haven't reached that
question yet.
LILIOM
I'll see it?
THE MAGISTRATE
Again I ask you: Do you not regret that you deserted your wife and
child; that you were a bad husband, a bad father?
LILIOM
A bad husband?
THE MAGISTRATE
Yes.
LILIOM
And a bad father?
THE MAGISTRATE
That, too.
LILIOM
I couldn't get work--and I couldn't bear to see Julie--all the
time--all the time----
THE MAGISTRATE
Weeping! Why are you ashamed to say it? You couldn't bear to see her
weeping. Why are you afraid of that word? And why are you ashamed that
you loved her?
LILIOM
[_Shrugs his shoulders._] Who's ashamed? But I couldn't bear to see
her--and that's why I was bad to her. You see, it wouldn't do to go
back to the carousel--and Ficsur came along with his talk about--that
other thing--and all of a sudden it happened, I don't know how. The
police and the Jew with the pistol--and there I stood--and I'd lost
the money playing cards--and I didn't want to be put in prison.
[_Demanding justification._] Maybe I was wrong not to go out and steal
when there was nothing to eat in the house? Should I have gone out to
steal for Julie?
THE MAGISTRATE
[_Emphatically._] Yes.
LILIOM
[_After an astounded pause._] The police down there never said that.
THE MAGISTRATE
You beat that poor, frail girl; you beat her because she loved you.
How could you do that?
LILIOM
We argued with each other--she said this and I said that--and because
she was right I couldn't answer her--and I got mad--and the anger rose
up in me--until it reached here [_points to his throat_] and then I
beat her.
THE MAGISTRATE
Are you sorry?
LILIOM
[_Shakes his head, but cannot utter the word "no"; continues softly._]
When I touched her slender throat--then--if you like--you might
say---- [_Falters, looks embarrassed at THE MAGISTRATE._]
THE MAGISTRATE
[_Confidently expectant._] Are you sorry?
LILIOM
[_With a stare._] I'm not sorry for anything.
THE MAGISTRATE
Liliom, Liliom, it will be difficult to help you.
LILIOM
I'm not asking any help.
THE MAGISTRATE
You were offered employment as a caretaker on Arader Street. [_To THE
FIRST._] Where is that entered?
THE FIRST
In the small docket. [_Hands him the open book. THE MAGISTRATE looks
in it._]
THE MAGISTRATE
Rooms, kitchen, quarterly wages, the privilege of keeping poultry. Why
didn't you accept it?
LILIOM
I'm not a caretaker. I'm no good at caretaking. To be a caretaker--you
have to be a caretaker----
THE MAGISTRATE
If I said to you now: Liliom, go back on your stretcher. Tomorrow
morning you will arise alive and well again. Would you be a caretaker
then?
LILIOM
No.
THE MAGISTRATE
Why not?
LILIOM
Because--because that's just why I died.
THE MAGISTRATE
That is not true, my son. You died because you loved little Julie and
the child she is bearing under her heart.
LILIOM
No.
THE MAGISTRATE
Look me in the eye.
LILIOM
[_Looks him in the eye._] No.
THE MAGISTRATE
[_Stroking his beard._] Liliom, Liliom, if it were not for our
Heavenly patience---- Go back to your seat. Number 16,474.
THE FIRST
[_Looks in his note book._] Stephan Kadar. [_THE POORLY DRESSED MAN
rises._]
THE MAGISTRATE
You came out today?
THE POORLY DRESSED MAN
Today.
THE MAGISTRATE
[_Indicating the crimson sea of clouds._] How long were you in there?
THE POORLY DRESSED MAN
Thirteen years.
THE MAGISTRATE
Officer, you went to earth with him?
THE FIRST
Yes, sir.
THE MAGISTRATE
Stephan Kadar, after thirteen years of purification by fire you
returned to earth to give proof that your soul had been burned clean.
What good deed did you perform?
THE POORLY DRESSED MAN
When I came to the village and looked in the window of our cottage I
saw my poor little orphans sleeping peacefully. But it was raining and
the rain beat into the room through a hole in the roof. So I went and
fixed the roof so it wouldn't rain in any more. My hammering woke them
up and they were afraid. But their mother came in to them and
comforted them. She said to them: "Don't cry! It's your poor, dear
father hammering up there. He's come back from the other world to fix
the roof for us."
THE MAGISTRATE
Officer?
THE FIRST
That's what happened.
THE MAGISTRATE
Stephan Kadar, you have done a good deed. What you did will be written
in books to gladden the hearts of children who read them. [_Indicates
the door at left._] The door is open to you. The eternal light awaits
you. [_THE FIRST escorts the POORLY DRESSED MAN out at left with great
deference._] Liliom! [_LILIOM rises._] You have heard?
LILIOM
Yes.
THE MAGISTRATE
When this man first appeared before us he was as stubborn as you. But
now he has purified himself and withstood the test. He has done a good
deed.
LILIOM
What's he done, anyhow? Any roofer can fix a roof. It's much harder to
be a barker in an amusement park.
THE MAGISTRATE
Liliom, you shall remain for sixteen years in the crimson fire until
your child is full grown. By that time your pride and your
stubbornness will have been burnt out of you. And when your
daughter----
LILIOM
My daughter!
THE MAGISTRATE
When your daughter has reached the age of sixteen---- [_LILIOM bows
his head, covers his eyes with his hands, and to keep from weeping
laughs defiantly, sadly._]
THE MAGISTRATE
When your daughter has reached the age of sixteen you will be sent for
one day back to earth.
LILIOM
Me?
THE MAGISTRATE
Yes--just as you may have read in the legends of how the dead reappear
on earth for a time.
LILIOM
I never believed them.
THE MAGISTRATE
Now you see they are true. You will go back to earth one day to show
how far the purification of your soul has progressed.
LILIOM
Then I must show what I can do--like when you apply for a job--as a
coachman?
THE MAGISTRATE
Yes--it is a test.
LILIOM
And will I be told what I have to do?
THE MAGISTRATE
No.
LILIOM
How will I know, then?
THE MAGISTRATE
You must decide that for yourself. That's what you burn sixteen years
for. And if you do something good, something splendid for your child,
then----
LILIOM
[_Laughs sadly._] Then? [_All stand up and bow their heads reverently.
There is a pause._] Then?
THE MAGISTRATE