Part 21

HELENE. I knew I would meet you. I felt that I must, in order to get you out of my mind. I am betrothed, you know----

LASSALLE. I know--to me, from the foundation of the world.

HELENE. I am betrothed to Prince Yanko Racowitza. You never heard of him, of course. He is out of your class, because he is good, and gentle, and kind, and of noble blood. And you are a demagogue, and a demigod, and a Jew, and a Mephisto! I told Yanko I would not wed him until I saw you. He has been trying to meet you, to introduce us.

LASSALLE. That you might be disillusioned!

HELENE. Precisely so.

LASSALLE. How interesting! And how superfluous in your fairy prince.

HELENE. He is an extraordinary man, for he said I should see you and him both, see you together and take my choice.

LASSALLE. Good! He is a Christian, and does as he would be done by. I am a Christianized Jew, and I will bejew all Christendom. Your prince is a useless appendenda, and I would kill him, were it not that I am opposed to duelling. I fought one duel--or did not fight it, I should say. I faced my man, he fired and missed. I threw my pistol into the bushes and held out my hand to the late enemy. He reeled toward me and fell into my arms, pierced by his emotions. He is now my friend. Had I killed him, the vexed question between us would still be unsettled. I believe in brain, not brawn--soul, not sense. Let us meet your prince, and when he sees you and me together, he will know we are one, and dare not withhold his blessing which we do not need. He shall be our page. Win people and use them, I say--use them! You and I working together can win and use humanity for humanity's good. We talk with the same phrases. You say, "Two wishes make a will"--so do I. We read the same books, are fed at the same springs. Our souls blend together; great thoughts are children, born of married minds----

HELENE. My carriage is at the door--I surely must go!

LASSALLE. I'll order your coachman to go home; we will walk.

[Strides to the door, and gives the order and in an instant returns, picks up Helene's wraps and proceeds affectionately to help her on with overshoes, cloak and hat.]

LASSALLE. The fact is that life lies in mutual service--any other course is merely existence. Those who do most for others enjoy most. Well, good-night, dear Karl Marx, [_Shakes hands_] and you, Doctor Haenle--what would life be to me without you! Good-night, Herr Holthoff and dear Frau Holthoff!

[Kisses the Frau's hand. Helene helps him on with overcoat and hands him his hat. They disappear through the right entrance, arm in arm, faces turned toward each other, talking earnestly. As they go through the door, Lassalle lifts his hat to the company and says, "Good-night, everybody." Those on the stage turn and stare at one another in amazement. Doctor Haenle breaks the silence with a laugh.]

DOCTOR HAENLE. Well, well, well!

HERR HOLTHOFF. She is carried off on the back of a centaur.

KARL MARX. A whirlwind wooing!

FRAU HOLTHOFF. Affinities!

* * * * *

ACT TWO

_Scene:_ Hotel veranda in the Swiss Mountains.

[Present: Herr Holthoff, Frau Holthoff, Doctor Haenle, Lassalle and Helene, seated or walking about and talking leisurely. Surroundings beautiful and an air of peace pervades the place.]

DOCTOR HAENLE. These early Fall days are the finest of the year in the mountains.

HELENE. Yes: for then the guests have mostly gone.

LASSALLE. Just as the church is never quite so sacred as when the priest is not there!

FRAU HOLTHOFF. You mean the priest and congregation?

LASSALLE. Certainly, they go together. A priest apart from his people is simply a man.

HELENE. Ferdinand loves the Church!

LASSALLE. You should say a church, my lady fair!

HELENE. Yes, a church--this is the fourth time we have met. Two of the other times were in a church.

LASSALLE. [_Ecstatically_] Yes, in the dim, cool, religious light of a church, vacant save for us two--I should say for us one!

HELENE. We just sat and said the lover's litany--"Love like ours can never die."

HERR HOLTHOFF. Well, love and religion are one at the last.

LASSALLE. They were one once, and neither will be right until they are one again.

HELENE. A creed is made up of ossified metaphors--lover's metaphors.

DOCTOR HAENLE. Good, and every one can believe a creed if you allow him to place his own interpretation on it!

LASSALLE. That is what we will do in the Co-operative Commonwealth.

DOCTOR HAENLE. Which reminds me that Bismarck, who loves you almost as well as we do, declares that you are a Monarchist, not a Socialist, the difference being that you believe in the House of Lassalle and he in the House of Hohenzollern.

LASSALLE. Which means, I suppose, that I will be king of the Co-operative Commonwealth?

HELENE. You will be if I have my way.

DOCTOR HAENLE. Heresy and sedition! The woman who loves a man confuses him with God, and regards him as one divinely appointed to rule.

HELENE. I can not deny it if I would.

FRAU HOLTHOFF. And yet tomorrow you and Lassalle part!

HELENE. Only for a time.

LASSALLE. For how long, no man can say; that is why I have urged that we should be married here and now. A notary can be gotten from the village in an hour--you, dear comrades, shall be the witnesses.

HELENE. It is only my love that makes me hesitate. The future of Ferdinand Lassalle, and the future of Socialism must not be jeopardized!

DOCTOR HAENLE. Jeopardized?

LASSALLE. Jeopardized by love?

HELENE. The world would regard a marriage here as an elopement. My father would be furious. Who are we that we should run away to wed, as if I were a schoolgirl and Lassalle a grocer's clerk! Lassalle is the king of men. He convinces them by his logic, by his presence, by his enthusiasm----

HERR HOLTHOFF. He has convinced you in any event.

HELENE. And he can and will convince the world!

DOCTOR HAENLE. I believe he will.

HELENE. And when he wins my parents he will secure an influence that will help usher in the Better Day. Besides----

LASSALLE. Besides?

HELENE. [_Laughing_] I am engaged to marry Prince Racowitza!

LASSALLE. [_Smiling_] True, I forgot. But when he sees the Goddess of the Dawn and the Socialistic Sun-God together, he will give them his blessing and renounce all claims.

HELENE. Exactly so.

DOCTOR HAENLE. Which is certainly better than to snip him off without first tying the ligature.

FRAU HOLTHOFF. This whole situation is really amusing when one takes a cool look at it. Here is Helene betrothed to Prince Racowitza, who is intelligent, kind, amiable, good, unobjectionable. And because society demands that a girl shall marry somebody, she accepts the situation, and until Lassalle, the vagrant planet, came shooting through space, this girl of aspiration and ambition would have actually wedded the unobjectionable man and herself become unobjectionable to please her unobjectionable parents.

HERR HOLTHOFF. That is a plain, judicial statement of the case, made by the wife of a fairly good man.

LASSALLE. Error set in motion continues indefinitely, all according to the physical law of inertia. The customs of society continue, and are always regarded by the many as perfect--in fact, divine. This continues until some one called a demagogue and a fanatic suggests a change. This talk of change causes a little wobble in the velocity of the error, but it still spins forward and crushes and mangles all who get in the way. That is what you call orthodoxy--the subjection of the many. The men, run over and mangled, are spoken of as "dangerous."

HERR HOLTHOFF. Which reminds me that when people say a man is dangerous, they simply mean that his ideas are new to them.

LASSALLE. [_Seating himself at a table opposite Helene_] You hear, my Goddess of the Dawn, Helene, that dangerous ideas are simply new ideas?

HELENE. Yes, I heard it and I have said it.

LASSALLE. Because I have said it.

HELENE. Undoubtedly, which is reason enough.

LASSALLE. Can you make your father believe that?

HELENE. I intend to try and I expect to succeed.

[All slip away and leave Helene and Lassalle alone. As the conversation grows earnest, he holds her hands across the table, just as the lovers do in a Gibson picture.]

LASSALLE. And you still think this better than that we should proclaim the republic tomorrow, and have our dear friends go down and inform the world that we are man and wife?

HELENE. Listen: The desire of my life is to be your wife. No ceremony can make us more completely one than we are now. My soul is intertwined with yours. All that remains is, how shall we announce the truth to the world? Shall we do it by the tongue of scandal? That is not necessary. Doctor Haenle can take you to call on my father. I will be there--we will meet incidentally. You are irresistible to men, as well as to women. My father will study you. You will allow him to talk--you will agree with him. After he has said all he has to say, you will talk, and he will gradually agree with you. My parents will become accustomed to your presence--they will see that you are a gentleman. Prince Racowitza will be there, and he will not have to be told the truth--he will see it. He will be obedient to my wishes. He admires me, and you----

LASSALLE. I love you.

HELENE. You love me--the world seems tame. I am simply yours.

LASSALLE. I realize it, and so, like your little prince, I am obedient--an obedient rebel!

HELENE. A rebel?

LASSALLE. I say it, but very gently. I can win your parents and the prince, quite as well if introduced to them as your husband, as if we faced each other in their presence and pretended--a nice word, that--pretended we had never met. There, I am done. I am now your page--your slave.

HELENE. [_Disturbed and slightly nettled_] Then grant me a small favor.

LASSALLE. Even if it be the half of my kingdom.

HELENE. Let me see a picture of Madame Hatzfeldt!

LASSALLE. Whom?

HELENE. Madame Hatzfeldt.

LASSALLE. [_Coloring and confused_] Oh, surely, I will--I will find one for you and send it by mail.

HELENE. Perhaps you have one in your pocketbook?

LASSALLE. Oh, that is so; possibly I have!

[Takes pocketbook out of breast-pocket of his coat, fumbles and finds a small, square photograph, which he passes over to Helene, who studies his face and then the photograph.]

HELENE. [_Looking at picture_] She has intellect!

LASSALLE. [_Trying to laugh_] She was born in Eighteen Hundred Eight--I call her Gran'ma!

HELENE. Is she handsome?

LASSALLE. Oh, twenty years ago she was.

HELENE. Twenty years ago she was a woman in distress?

LASSALLE. Yes.

HELENE. And women in distress are very alluring to gallant and adventurous young men.

LASSALLE. It was twenty years ago, I say.

HELENE. And now you are--are friends?

LASSALLE. We are friends!

HELENE. [_Archly_] Shall I win her before we are married, or after?

LASSALLE. After.

HELENE. As you say.

LASSALLE. We are both needlessly humble, I take it!

[Smiles and gently takes her hand.]

HELENE. [_Smiles back_] We understand each other.

LASSALLE. And to be understood is paradise.

HELENE. We have been in paradise eight days.

LASSALLE. Paradise!

HELENE. Paradise!

LASSALLE. And now we go out into the world----

HELENE. To meet at my father's house.

LASSALLE. At the day and hour next week that you shall name.

HELENE. Even so.

[They hold hands, look into each other's eyes wistfully and solemnly. Both rise and walk off the stage in opposite directions. Lassalle hesitates, stops and looks back at her as if he expected she would turn and command him to go with her. She does not command him, and he goes off the stage alone, slowly and with a dejected air, which for him is unusual.]

* * * * *

ACT THREE

_Scene:_ A bedroom in the Metropolitan Hotel, Berlin.

[Lassalle in shirt-sleeves, putting on his collar before the mirror. Jacques standing by, brushing his coat.]

LASSALLE. [_Wrestling with unruly collar-button_] Yes; that is the coat. A long, plain, priestly coat. [_Gaily, half to himself and half to valet_] You see, I am going on a delicate errand, and I must not fail----

JACQUES. They say you never fail in anything.

LASSALLE. Which is not saying that I might not fail in the future.

JACQUES. Impossible.

LASSALLE. Now, today I am going to call on a man who hates me--who totally misunderstands me--and my task is to convince him, without mentioning the subject, that I am a gentleman. In fact--[_A knock at the door_] In fact--answer that, please, Jacques--to convince him that a man may be earnest and honest in his efforts for human betterment, and that----

JACQUES. [_To porter at door_] The master, Herr Lassalle, is dressing. I will give him her card.

PORTER. She says she knows him, and demands admittance. She will give neither her name nor her card.

JACQUES. Herr Lassalle can not receive her here--patience--I will tell him, and he will see her in half an hour in the parlor!

_Enter HELENE_

[Pauses breathlessly on the threshold, then pushes past the porter. The valet confronts her with arms outstretched to stay her entering.]

HELENE. Ferdinand--I--I am here!

[Lassalle turns and stares, surprised, overcome, joyous--seizes the valet by the shoulder and pushes him out of the door, bowling over the porter who blocks the entrance. Lassalle and Helene face each other. He is about to take her in his arms; she backs away.]

HELENE. Not yet, dear, not yet!

[She sinks into a chair in great confusion, struggling for breath.]

LASSALLE. [_Leaning over her tenderly_] Tell me what has happened!

HELENE. The worst.

LASSALLE. You mean----

HELENE. That I told my father and mother!

LASSALLE. And they----

HELENE. Renounced me, cursed me--called me vile names--threatened me! They said you are a---- [_Trying to laugh_]

LASSALLE. A Jew and a demagogue!

HELENE. Would to God they had used terms so mild.

LASSALLE. Did they attack my honor--my personal character?

HELENE. Why ask me? What they said is nothing. They are furious, blind with rage--I escaped to save my life--and--I am here.

LASSALLE. [_Coolly, taking his seat in a chair opposite her_] Yes, you are here, that is irrefutable. You are here. Now we must consider the situation and then decide on what to do. First, let me ask you how you came to mention me to them.

HELENE. Is it necessary that we should enter into details? Pardon me, I am so sick with fear and humiliation. When I reached home I found the whole household joyous over the news of my sister's betrothal to Count Kayserling. They are to be married in June. I thought it a good time to tell my own joy. You see, I hesitated about your coming to our home in a false position--you and I meeting as if we had never met. I told my sister first. She was grieved, but satisfied since it was my will. She kissed me in blessing. I am an honest woman, Ferdinand--that is, I want to be honest. I scorn a lie--my prayer is to leave every prevarication behind. So I told my mother of you--knowing of course there would be a storm, but never guessing the violence of it. She called in my father and cried, "Your daughter has been debauched by a Jew!" I resented the insult and tried to explain. I upheld you--my father seized the bread-knife from the table and brandished it over me, trying to make me swear never to see you. I refused--he choked me and called me a harlot. To save my life I promised never again to see you. Their violence abated, and when their vigilance relaxed, I escaped and came here--here!

[Holds out her arms toward him; and cowers into her seat as she sees he does not respond.]

LASSALLE. Yes, you are here.

HELENE. Do you not see?--I have come to you.

LASSALLE. [_Musingly_] I see!

HELENE. Yes, and in doing this I have burned my bridges. I can never go back--I have broken my promise with them--for you. They are no longer my parents. The Paris Express goes in half an hour----

LASSALLE. You studied the time-table?

HELENE. [_Trying to smile_] Yes, I calculated the time. To be caught here is death to me, and prison to you. In this town my father is supreme--the law is construed as he devises--safety for us lies in flight!

LASSALLE. But my belongings!

HELENE. Your valet can attend to them.

LASSALLE. And I run away, flee?

HELENE. [_Trying to be gay_] Yes, with me.

LASSALLE. [_Exasperatingly cool_] It would be the first time I ever ran away from danger.

HELENE. If you remain here you may never have another chance.

LASSALLE. You mean that your father or that little prince, Yanko, may do me violence?

HELENE. No one can tell what my father may do in his present state of mind.

LASSALLE. Then I will remain and see.

HELENE. [_In agony_] We are wasting time. Do you understand that as soon as my absence is discovered, they will hunt for me--even now the police may be notified!

LASSALLE. Let cowards and criminals run--we have done nothing of which we need be ashamed.

HELENE. Surely not--but what more can I say! Oh, Ferdinand, my Ferdinand!

LASSALLE. Listen to me----

[Knocking is heard at the door. She involuntarily moves toward him for protection. He enfolds her in his arms just an instant. More knocking and louder. Lassalle tenderly puts her away from him and goes to the door, opens it. The landlord stands there with the porter behind him.]

LANDLORD. [_Entering_] You will pardon me, Herr Lassalle--but the mother and sister of the Fraulein are in the parlor below. They had spies follow her--it is all a misunderstanding, I know. But the young lady should--you will pardon me, both--should not be here with you. She will have to go. I declared to her mother that she was not here; the porter told her otherwise. The police are at the entrance, and you understand I can not afford to have a scene. Will the Fraulein be so good as to go below and meet her mother?

HELENE. My mother! I have no mother.

LANDLORD. You will excuse me if I insist.

[Lassalle starts toward the landlord as if he would throttle him. Then bethinks himself and smiles.]

LASSALLE. Certainly, kind sir, she will go, and I will go with her. We will excuse you now!

[Puts hands on shoulder and half-pushes landlord out of the door. Closes door.]

HELENE. [_In terror_] What shall I do?

LASSALLE. Do? Why, there is only one thing to do--meet your mother and sister. I will go, too. [_Adjusts his collar and puts on his vest and coat_] There, I am ready--we go!

HELENE. You do not know them. It is death.

LASSALLE. Nonsense! Have I not addressed a mob and won? Do you trust me?

[Kisses her on the forehead, and putting his arm around her, leads her to the door.]

HELENE. [_In agony, striving to be calm_] I--I trust you. To whom can I turn!

[_Exeunt._]

* * * * *

ACT FOUR

_Scene:_ The Hotel-Parlor.

[Hilda, sister of Helene, hanging dejectedly out of window. Frau Von Donniges standing statue-like in the center of room. Two hotel porters making pretense of dusting furniture.]

_Enter LASSALLE with HELENE on his arm._

LASSALLE. [_To Helene_] Courage, my dear, courage!

[Bows to Frau Von Donniges, who is unconscious of his presence. Lassalle and Helene hesitate and look at each other nervously. Helene clutches Lassalle's arm to keep from falling--they both move slowly around the statuesque Frau. The Frau suddenly perceives them, turns and glares.]

FRAU VON DONNIGES. Away with that man--I will not allow him to remain in this room!

LASSALLE. [_Bowing, with hand on heart_] Surely, Madame, you do not know me. Will you not allow me to speak--to explain!

FRAU VON DONNIGES. Away, I say--out of my sight! Begone, you craven coward--you thief!

[These are new epithets to Lassalle. He is used to being called a Jew, a fanatic, a dangerous demagogue--something half-complimentary. But there is no alloy in "coward," "thief." He looks at Helene as if to receive reassurance that he hears aright.]

HELENE. Come--you see it is as I told you--reason in her is dead. Let us go.

LASSALLE. [_Loosening Helene's hold upon his arm and stepping toward the Frau_] Madame, you have availed yourself of a woman's privilege, and used language toward me which men never use toward each other unless they court death. I say no more to you, preferring now to speak to your husband.

FRAU VON DONNIGES. Yes, you speak to my husband--and he will give you what you deserve.

LASSALLE. [_Changing his tactics_] Your husband is a gentleman, I trust. And you--are the mother of the lady I love, so I will resent nothing you say. You speak only in a passion, and not from your heart. I resent nothing.

FRAU VON DONNIGES. A man spotted with every vice says he loves my daughter! Your love is pollution. My ears are closed to you--you may stand and grimace and insult me, but I hear you not. Go!

LASSALLE. Very well, I will go and see Helene's father. Men may dislike each other--they may be enemies, but they do not spit on each other. If they fight, they fight courteously. I will see Helene's father--he will at least hear me.

FRAU VON DONNIGES. You enter his house, and the servants will throw your vile body into the street.

LASSALLE. I have written him that I will call.

FRAU VON DONNIGES. Your letter was cast into the garbage unopened.

LASSALLE. [_Stung_] It may be possible, Madame, for you to wear out my patience.

FRAU VON DONNIGES. You have already succeeded in wearing out mine.

HELENE. [_In agony--wringing her hands_] Hopeless, Ferdinand, you see it is hopeless!

LASSALLE. [_Aside to Helene_] Her outbreak will pass in a moment.

FRAU VON DONNIGES. You have ruined the reputation of my family--stolen my child. You, who are known over an empire for your dealings with women!

HELENE. [_Joining in the fray, in shrill excitement_] False! He did not steal me--I went to him unasked. You who call yourself my mother, how dare you traduce me so, you who bore me! I fled from you to save my life--to escape your tortures, you killed my love. I am Lassalle's, because I love him. He understands me--you do not. When you abuse him, you abuse me. When you trample on him, you trample on me. I now choose life with him in preference to perdition with you. I follow him, I am his, I glory in him. Now!

[Helene turns to Lassalle in triumph, believing of course that after she has just avowed herself, they will stand together--he and she.]

LASSALLE. [_Calmly_] Well spoken, Helene, and now tell me, will you make a sacrifice--a temporary sacrifice for me?

HELENE. [_Looking straight at him in absolute faith_] Yes, command me!

LASSALLE. Go home, with your--mother!

HELENE. Anything but that.

LASSALLE. Yes, that is what I ask.

HELENE. [_Writhing in awful pain_] You will not ask of me the impossible.

LASSALLE. No, but this you can do. Your going will soften them. We will win them. Go with them. Do this for me. I leave you here.