Part 12

SCENE: _The kitchen of the Bauer flat in the basement of the Bryn Mawr. A window at the side gives on an area and shows the walk above and the houses across the street. Opposite the windows is a door to an inner room. Through the outer door, in the centre of the back wall, a dumb-waiter and whistles to tenants can be seen. A broken milk-bottle lies in a puddle of milk on the cement floor in front of the dumb-waiter. To the right of the outer door, a telephone; gas-range on which there are flat-irons heating and vegetables cooking. To the left of the outer door is an old sideboard; over it hangs a picture of Schiller. Near the centre of the room, a little to the right, stands a kitchen table with four chairs around it. Ironing-board is placed between the kitchen table and the sink, a basket of dampened clothes under it. A large calendar on the wall. An alarm-clock on the window-sill. Time: a little before noon. The telephone rings_; MRS. BAUER _leaves her ironing and goes to answer it_.

MRS. BAUER. No, Mr. Bauer's out yet. [_She listens through the transmitter._] Thank you, Mrs. Mohler. [_Another pause._] I'll tell him just so soon he comes in--yes, ma'am.

[MRS. BAUER _goes back to her ironing. Grocer boy rushes into basement, whistling; he puts down his basket, goes up to_ MRS. BAUER'S _door and looks in_.

LANE. Say--where's the boss?

MRS. BAUER. He'll be home soon, I--hope--Jim. What you want?

[_He stands looking at her with growing sympathy._

LANE. Nothin'. Got a rag 'round here? Dumb-waiter's all wet.... Lot of groceries for Sawyers.

MRS. BAUER. [_Without lifting her eyes, mechanically hands him a mop which hangs beside the door._] Here.

LANE. What's the matter?

MRS. BAUER. [_Dully._] Huh?

LANE. [_Significantly._] Oh, I know.

MRS. BAUER. What you know?

LANE. About the boss. [MRS. BAUER _looks distressed_.] Heard your friends across the street talkin'.

MRS. BAUER. [_Bitterly._] Friends!

LANE. Rotten trick to play on the boss, all right, puttin' that old maid up to get him pinched.

MRS. BAUER. [_Absently._] Was she an old maid?

LANE. The cruelty-to-animals woman over there [_waves his hand_]--regular old crank. Nies[H] put her up to it all right.

MRS. BAUER. I guess it was his old woman. Nies ain't so bad. She's the one. Because my two boys dress up a little on Sunday, she don't like it.

LANE. Yes, she's sore because the boys told her the boss kicks their dog.

MRS. BAUER. He don't do nothin' of the sort--jus' drives it 'way from the garbage-pails--that's all. We coulda had that dog took up long ago--they ain't got no license. But Fritz--he's so easy--he jus' takes it out chasin' the dog and hollerin'.

LANE. That ain't no way. He ought to make the dog holler--good and hard--once; then it'd keep out of here.

MRS. BAUER. Don't you go to talkin' like that 'round my man. Look at all this trouble we're in on account of a stray cat.

LANE. I better get busy. They'll be callin' up the store in a minute. That woman's the limit.... Send up the groceries in that slop, she'd send them down again. High-toned people like her ought to keep maids.

[_He mops out the lower shelf of the dumb-waiter, then looks at the broken bottle and the puddle of milk inquiringly._

MRS. BAUER. [_Taking the mop away from him._] I'll clean that up. I forgot--in all this trouble.

LANE. Whose milk?

MRS. BAUER. The Mohlers'. That's how it all happened. Somebody upset their milk on the dumb-waiter and the cat was on the shelf lickin' it up; my man, not noticin', starts the waiter up and the cat tries to jump out; the bottle rolls off and breaks. The cat was hurt awful--caught in the shaft. I don't see how it coulda run after that, but it did--right into the street, right into that woman--Fritz after it. Then it fell over. "You did that?" she says to Fritz. "Yes," he says, "I did that." He didn't say no more, jus' went off, and then after a while they came for him and---- [_She begins to cry softly._

LANE. Brace up; they ain't goin' to do anything to him.... [_Comes into kitchen. Hesitatingly._] Say!... He didn't kick the cat--did he?

MRS. BAUER. Who said so?

LANE. Mrs. Nies--says she saw him from her window.

MRS. BAUER. [_As though to herself._] I dunno. [_Excitedly._] Of course he didn't kick that cat. [_Again, as though to herself._] Fritz is so quick-tempered he mighta kicked it 'fore he knew what he was about. No one'd ever know how good Fritz is unless they lived with him. He never hurt no one and nothing except himself.

LANE. Oh, I'm on to the boss. I never mind his hollerin'.

MRS. BAUER. If you get a chance, bring me some butter for dinner--a pound.

LANE. All right. I'll run over with it in ten or fifteen minutes, soon as I get rid of these orders out here in the wagon.

MRS. BAUER. That'll do.

[_She moves about apathetically, lays the cloth on the kitchen table and begins to set it._ LANE _goes to the dumb-waiter, whistles up the tube, puts the basket of groceries on the shelf of the dumb-waiter, pulls rope and sends waiter up_. MRS. BAUER _continues to set the table. Boys from the street suddenly swoop into the basement and yell_.

CHORUS OF BOYS' VOICES. Who killed the cat! Who killed the cat!

LANE. [_Letting the rope go and making a dive for the boys._] I'll show you, you----

[_They rush out_, MRS. BAUER _stands despairingly in the doorway shaking her clasped hands_.

MRS. BAUER. Those are Nies's boys.

LANE. Regular toughs! Call the cop and have 'em pinched if they don't stop it.

MRS. BAUER. If my man hears them--you know--there'll be more trouble.

LANE. The boss ought to make it hot for them.

MRS. BAUER. Such trouble!

LANE. [_Starts to go._] Well--luck to the boss.

MRS. BAUER. There ain't no such thing as luck for us.

LANE. Aw, come on....

MRS. BAUER. Everything's against us. First Fritz's mother dies. We named the baby after her--Trude.... Then we lost Trude. That finished Fritz. After that he began this hollerin' business. And now this here trouble--just when things was goin' half-ways decent for the first time. [_She pushes past him and goes to her ironing._

LANE. [_Shakes his head sympathetically and takes up his basket._] A pound, you said?

MRS. BAUER. Yes.

LANE. All right. [_He starts off and then rushes back._] Here's the boss comin', Mrs. Bauer. [_Rushes off again._

LANE'S VOICE. [_Cheerfully._] Hello, there!

BAUER'S VOICE. [_Dull and strained._] Hello!

[BAUER _comes in. His-naturally bright blue eyes are tired and lustreless; his strung frame seems to have lost all vigor and alertness; there in a look of utter despondency on his face._

MRS. BAUER. [_Closing the door after him._] They let you off?

BAUER. [_With a hard little laugh._] Yes, they let me off--they let me off with a fine all right.

MRS. BAUER. [_Aghast._] They think you did it then.

BAUER. [_Harshly._] The judge fined me, I tell you.

MRS. BAUER. [_Unable to express her poignant sympathy._] Fined you!... Oh, Fritz! [_She lays her hand on his shoulder._

BAUER. [_Roughly, to keep himself from, going to pieces._] That slop out there ain't cleaned up yet.

MRS. BAUER. I've been so worried.

BAUER. [_With sudden desperation._] I can't stand it, I tell you.

MRS. BAUER. Well, it's all over now, Fritz.

BAUER. Yes, it's all over.... it's all up with me.

MRS. BAUER. Fritz!

BAUER. That's one sure thing.

MRS. BAUER. You oughtn't to give up like this.

BAUER. [_Pounding on the table._] I tell you I can't hold up my head again.

MRS. BAUER. Why, Fritz?

BAUER. They've made me out guilty. The judge fined me. Fined me, Miene! How is that? Can a man stand for that? The woman said I told her myself--right out--that I did it.

MRS. BAUER. The woman that had you--[_he winces as she hesitates_] took?

BAUER. Damned----

MRS. BAUER. [_Putting her hand over his mouth._] Hush, Fritz.

BAUER. Why will I hush, Miene? She said I was proud of the job. [_Passionately raising his voice._] The damned interferin'----

MRS. BAUER. Don't holler, Fritz. It's your hollerin' that's made all this trouble.

BAUER. [_Penetrated by her words more and more._] My hollerin'!....

[The telephone rings; she answers it.

MRS. BAUER. Yes, Mrs. Mohler, he's come in now.--Yes.--Won't after dinner do?--All right.--Thank you, Mrs. Mohler. [_She hangs up the receiver._] Mrs. Mohler wants you to fix her sink right after dinner.

BAUER. I'm not goin' to do any more fixin' around here.

MRS. BAUER. You hold on to yourself, Fritz; that's no way to talk; Mrs. Mohler's a nice woman.

BAUER. I don't want to see no more nice women. [_After a pause._] Hollerin'!--that's what's the matter with me--hollerin', eh? Well, I've took it all out in hollerin'.

MRS. BAUER. They hear you and they think you've got no feelings.

BAUER. [_In utter amazement at the irony of the situation._] And I was goin' after the damned cat to take care of it.

MRS. BAUER. Why didn't you tell the judge all about it?

BAUER. They got me rattled among them. The lady was so soft and pleasant--"He must be made to understand, your honor," she said to the judge, "that dumb animals has feelin's, too, just as well as human beings"--_Me_, Miene--made to understand that! I couldn't say nothin'. My voice just stuck in my throat.

MRS. BAUER. What's the matter with you! You oughta spoke up and told the judge just how it all happened.

BAUER. I said to myself; I'll go home and put a bullet through my head--that's the best thing for me now.

MRS. BAUER. [_With impatient unbelief._] Ach, Fritz, Fritz!

[_Clatter of feet._

CHORUS OF VOICES. [_At the outer door._] Who killed the cat! Who killed the cat!

[BAUER _jumps up, pale and shaken with strange rage; she pushes him gently back into his chair, opens the door, steps out for a moment, then comes in and leaves the door open behind her_.

BAUER. You see?... Even the kids ... I'm disgraced all over the place.

MRS. BAUER. So long as you didn't hurt the cat----

BAUER. What's the difference? Everybody believes it.

MRS. BAUER. No, they don't, Fritz.

BAUER. You can't fool me, Miene. I see it in their eyes. They looked away from me when I was comin' 'round the corner. Some of them kinder smiled like--[_passes his hand over his head_]. Even the cop says to me on the way over, yesterday: "Don't you put your foot in it any more'n you have to." You see? He thought I did it all right. Everybody believes it.

MRS. BAUER. [_Putting towels away._] Well, then _let_ them believe it.... The agent don't believe it.

BAUER. I dunno. He'da paid my fine anyhow.

MRS. BAUER. He gave you a good name.

BAUER. [_With indignant derision._] He gave me a good name!... Haven't I always kept this place all right since we been here? Afterward he said to me: "I'm surprised at this business, Bauer, very much surprised." That shows what he thinks. I told him it ain't true, I didn't mean to hurt it. I saw by his eyes he didn't believe me.

MRS. BAUER. Well, don't you worry any more now.

BAUER. [_To himself._] Hollerin'!

MRS. BAUER. [_Shuts the door._] Well, now, holler a little if it does you good.

BAUER. Nothin's goin' to do me good.

MRS. BAUER. You just put it out of your mind. [_The telephone rings. She answers it._] Yes, but he can't come now, Mrs. McAllister. He'll be up this afternoon.

[_She hangs up the receiver._

BAUER. And I ain't goin' this afternoon--nowhere.

MRS. BAUER. It's Mrs. McAllister. Somethin's wrong with her refrigerator--the water won't run off, she says.

BAUER. They can clean out their own drain-pipes.

MRS. BAUER. You go to work and get your mind off this here business.

BAUER. [_Staring straight ahead of him._] I ain't goin' 'round among the people in this house ... to have them lookin' at me ... disgraced like this.

MRS. BAUER. You want to hold up your head and act as if nothin's happened.

BAUER. Nobody spoke to me at the dumb-waiter when I took off the garbage and paper this morning. Mrs. Mohler always says something pleasant.

MRS. BAUER. You just think that because you're all upset. [_The telephone rings; she goes to it and listens._] Yes, ma'am, I'll see. Fritz, have you any fine wire? Mrs. McAllister thinks she might try and fix the drain with it--till you come up.

BAUER. I got no wire.

MRS. BAUER. Mr. Bauer'll fix it--right after dinner, Mrs. McAllister. [_Impatiently._] He can't find the wire this minute--soon's he eats his dinner.

BAUER. [_Doggedly._] You'll see....

MRS. BAUER. [_Soothingly._] Come now, Fritz, give me your hat. [_She takes his hat from him._

VOICES IN THE STREET. [_Receding from the front area._] Who killed the cat! Who killed the cat!

[BAUER _rushes toward the window in a fury of excitement_.

BAUER. [_Shouting at the top of his voice._] _Verdammte_ loafers! _Schweine!_

MRS. BAUER. [_Goes up to him._] Fritz! Fritz!

BAUER. [_Collapses and drops into chair._] You hear 'em.

MRS. BAUER. Don't pay no attention, then they'll get tired.

BAUER. Miene, we must go away. I can't stand it here no longer.

MRS. BAUER. But there's not such another good place, Fritz--and the movin'....

BAUER. I say I can't stand it.

MRS. BAUER. [_Desperately._] It ... it would be just the same any other place.

BAUER. Just the same?

MRS. BAUER. Yes, something'd go wrong anyhow.

BAUER. You think I'm a regular Jonah.

[_He shakes his head repeatedly in the affirmative, as though wholly embracing her point of view._

MRS. BAUER. Folks don't get to know you. They hear you hollerin' 'round and they think you beat the children and kick the dogs and cats.

BAUER. Do I ever lick the children when they don't need it?

MRS. BAUER. Not Fritzi.

BAUER. You want to spoil Karl. I just touch him with the strap once, a little--like this [_illustrates with a gesture_] to scare him, and he howls like hell.

MRS. BAUER. Yes, and then he don't mind you no more because he knows you don't mean it.

BAUER. [_To himself._] That's the way it goes ... a man's own wife and children ...

MRS. BAUER. [_Attending to the dinner. Irritably._] Fritz, if you would clean that up out there--and Mrs. Carroll wants her waste-basket. You musta forgot to send it up again.

BAUER. All right.

[_He goes out and leaves the door open. She stands her flat-iron on the ledge of the range to cool and puts her ironing-board away, watching him at the dumb-waiter while he picks up the glass and cleans up the milk on the cement floor. He disappears for a moment, then he comes in again, goes to a drawer and takes out rags and a bottle of polish._

MRS. BAUER. [_Pushing the clothes-basket out of the way._] This ain't cleanin' day, Fritz.

BAUER. [_Dully, putting the polish back into the drawer._] That's so.

MRS. BAUER. [_Comforting him._] You've got to eat a good dinner and then go up-stairs and fix that sink for Mrs. Mohler and the drain for Mrs. McAllister.

BAUER. [_In a tense voice._] I tell you I can't stand it.... I tell you, Miene....

MRS. BAUER. What now, Fritz?

BAUER. People laugh in my face. [_Nods in the direction of the street._] Frazer's boy standin' on the stoop calls his dog away when it runs up to me like it always does.

MRS. BAUER. Dogs know better'n men who's good to them.

BAUER. He acted like he thought I'd kick it.

MRS. BAUER. You've got all kinds of foolishness in your head now.... You sent up Carroll's basket?

BAUER. No.

MRS. BAUER. Well---- [_She checks herself._

BAUER. All right. [_He gets up._

MRS. BAUER. It's settin' right beside the other dumb-waiter, [_He goes out._] Oh, Gott!--Oh, Gott!--Oh, Gott!

[_Enter_ KARL, _and_ FRITZI. FRITZI _is crying_.

MRS. BAUER. [_Running to them._] What's the matter?

[_She hushes them and carefully closes the door._

KARL. The boys make fun of us; they mock us.

FRITZI. They mock us--"Miau! Miau!" they cry, and then they go like this----

[FRITZI _imitates kicking and breaks out crying afresh_.

MRS. BAUER. Hush, Fritzi, you mustn't let your father hear.

FRITZI. He'd make them shut up.

KARL. I don't want to go to school this afternoon.

[_He doubles his fists._

MRS. BAUER. [_Turning on him fiercely._] Why not? [_In an undertone._] You talk that way before your little brother.--Have you no sense?

FRITZI. [_Beginning to whimper._] I d-d-d-on't want to go to school this afternoon.

MRS. BAUER. You just go 'long to school and mind your own business.

KARL _and_ FRITZI. [_Together._] But the boys....

MRS. BAUER. They ain't a-goin' to keep it up forever. Don't you answer them. Just go 'long together and pay no attention.

KARL. Then they get fresher and fresher.

FRITZI. [_Echoing_ KARL.] Yes, then they get fresher and fresher.

[MRS. BAUER _begins to take up the dinner. The sound of footfalls just outside the door is heard._

MRS. BAUER. Go on now, hang up your caps and get ready for your dinners.

FRITZI. I'm going to tell my papa. [_Goes to inner door._

MRS. BAUER. For God's sake, Fritzi, shut up. You mustn't tell no one. Papa'd be disgraced all over.

KARL. [_Coming up to her._] Disgraced?

MRS. BAUER. Hush!

KARL. Why disgraced?

MRS. BAUER. Because there's liars, low-down, snoopin' liars in the world.

KARL. Who's lied, mama?

MRS. BAUER. The janitress across the street.

KARL. Mrs. Nies?

FRITZI. [_Calling out._] Henny Nies is a tough.

MRS. BAUER. [_Looking toward the outer door anxiously and shaking her head threateningly at_ FRITZI.] I give you somethin' if you don't stop hollerin' out like that.

KARL. Who'd she lie to?

MRS. BAUER. Never mind. Go 'long now. It's time you begin to eat.

KARL. What'd she lie about?

MRS. BAUER. [_Warningly._] S-s-sh! Papa'll be comin' in now in a minute.

KARL. It was Henny Nies set the gang on to us. I coulda licked them all if I hadn't had to take care of Fritzi.

MRS. BAUER. You'll get a lickin' all right if you don't keep away from Henny Nies.

KARL. Well--if they call me names--and say _my_ father's been to the station-house for killing a cat...?

FRITZI. Miau! Miau! Miau!

MRS. BAUER. Hold your mouth.

FRITZI. [_Swaggering._] My father never was in jail--was he, mama?

KARL. Course not.

MRS. BAUER. [_To_ FRITZI.] Go, wash your hands, Fritzi.

[_She steers him to the door of the inner room. He exits._

MRS. BAUER. [_Distressed._] Karl ...

KARL. [_Turning to his mother._] Was he, mama?

MRS. BAUER. Papa don't act like he used to. Sometimes I wonder what's come over him. Of course it's enough to ruin any man's temper, all the trouble we've had.

CHORUS OF VOICES. [_From the area by the window._] Who killed the cat! Who killed the cat!

[_Sound of feet clattering up the area steps._ FRITZI _rushes in, flourishing a revolver_.

FRITZI. I shoot them, mama.

MRS. BAUER. [_Grabbing the revolver._] _Mein Gott!_ Fritzi! Papa's pistol! [_She examines it carefully._] You ever touch that again and I'll ... [_She menaces him._

FRITZI. [_Sulkily._] I'll save up my money and buy me one.

MRS. BAUER. [_Smiling a little to herself._] I see you buyin' one. [_Carries revolver into inner room._

FRITZI. [_In a loud, voice and as though shooting at_ KARL.] Bang! Bang! Bang!

[KARL _strikes at_ FRITZI; FRITZI _dodges_.

KARL. [_To his mother as she re-enters._] Trouble with Fritzi is he don't mind me any more.

MRS. BAUER. You wash your dirty hands and face this minute--d'you hear me, Fritzi!

FRITZI. [_Looking at his hands._] That's ink-stains. I got the highest mark in spelling to-day. Capital H-e-n-n-y, capital N-i-e-s--Henny Nies, a bum.

[MRS. BAUER _makes a rush at him, and he runs back into the inner room_.

KARL. [_Sitting down beside the table._] Do we have to go to school this afternoon?

MRS. BAUER. You have to do what you always do.

KARL. Can't we stay home?...

MRS. BAUER. [_Fiercely._] Why? Why?

KARL. [_Sheepishly._] I ain't feelin' well.

MRS. BAUER. Karlchen!... _schäm dich!_

KARL. Till the boys forget....

MRS. BAUER. Papa'd know somethin' was wrong right away. That'd be the end. You mustn't act as if anything was different from always.

KARL. [_Indignantly._] Sayin' _my_ father's been to jail!

MRS. BAUER. Karl....

KARL. Papa'd make them stop.

MRS. BAUER. [_Panic-stricken._] Karl, don't you tell papa nothing.

KARL. Not tell papa?

MRS. BAUER. No.

KARL. Why not tell papa?

MRS. BAUER. Because----

KARL. Yes, mama?

MRS. BAUER. Because he was arrested yesterday.

KARL. [SHOCKED.] What for, mama? Why was he----

MRS. BAUER. For nothing.... It was all a lie.

KARL. Well--what was it, mama?

MRS. BAUER. The cat got hurt in the dumb-waiter--papa didn't mean to--then they saw papa chasin' it--then it died.

KARL. Why did papa chase it?

MRS. BAUER. To see how it hurt itself.

KARL. Whose cat?

MRS. BAUER. The stray cat.

KARL. The little black cat? Is Blacky dead?

MRS. BAUER. Yes, he died on the sidewalk.

KARL. Where was we?

MRS. BAUER. You was at school.

KARL. Papa didn't want us to keep Blacky.

MRS. BAUER. So many cats and dogs around....

FRITZI. [_Wailing at the door._] Blacky was my cat.

MRS. BAUER. S-s-h! What do you know about Blacky?

FRITZI. I was listening. Why did papa kill Blacky?

MRS. BAUER. Hush!

FRITZI. Why was papa took to jail?

MRS. BAUER. Fritzi! If papa was to hear....

[MRS. BAUER _goes out_.

FRITZI. [_Sidling up to_ KARL.] Miau! Miau!

KARL. You shut up that. Didn't mama tell you?

FRITZI. When I'm a man I'm going to get arrested. I'll shoot Henny Nies.

KARL. [_Contemptuously._] Yes, you'll do a lot of shooting.

[FRITZI _punches_ KARL _in back_.

KARL. [_Striking at_ FRITZI.] You're as big a tough as Henny Nies.

FRITZI. [_Proud of this alleged likeness._] I'm going to be a man just like my father; I'll holler and make them stand around.

KARL. [_With conviction._] What you need is a good licking.

[_Telephone rings_; KARL _goes to it_.

KARL. No, ma'am, we're just going to eat now.

FRITZI. [_Sits down beside the table._] Blacky was a nice cat; she purred just like a steam-engine.

KARL. Mama told you not to bring her in.

FRITZI. Papa said I could.

[_There is the sound of footfalls._ BAUER _and his wife come in and close the door behind them_.

MRS. BAUER. [_Putting the dinner on the table._] Come, children. [_To_ BAUER.] Sit down, Fritz.

[_She serves the dinner._ KARL _pulls_ FRITZI _out of his father's chair and pushes him into his own; then he takes his place next to his mother_.

MRS. BAUER. [_To_ BAUER, _who sits looking at his food_.] Eat somethin', Friedrich. [_She sits down._

BAUER. I can't eat nothin'. I'm full up to here.

[_He touches his throat._

MRS. BAUER. If you haven't done nothin' wrong, why do you let it worry you so?

[_Children are absorbed in eating._

FRITZI. [_Suddenly._] Gee, didn't Blacky like liver!

[MRS. BAUER _and_ KARL _look at him warningly_.

MRS. BAUER. [_Fiercely._] You eat your dinner.

BAUER. [_Affectionately, laying his hand on_ FRITZI'S _arm_.] Fritzi.

FRITZI. [_Points toward the inner room._] I'm going to have a gun, too, when I'm a man.

[BAUER _follows_ FRITZI'S _gesture and falls to musing. There is a look of brooding misery on his face._ KARL _nudges_ FRITZI _warningly and watches his father furtively_. BAUER _sits motionless, staring straight ahead of him_.

MRS. BAUER. [_To_ BAUER.] Now drink your coffee.