"OIL LAMPS" "Your wondrous grace astounds me, meine schone Dame, lofty as a man of war come over the seas to charm me." "How dare you, Herr Offizier," "I'm a lady of virtue." "But doesn't virtue occasionally like a bit of change too?" "Yeah, yeah, meine schone Dame " "I'll take the handsome officer who knows how to charm me." "A solo for the Lady and the Officer!" "Go and announce it, quick!" "Right." "Come along!" "You'd step on my feet." "They ran away." "After them!" "For a hundred years I've wandered over this Earth how long it is since I was a new-born babe, gallant youth, mature hero and now an old man." "My greetings to you, a hundred-fold, gentleman and ladies, as of old." "Our land, Bohemia, has born us all, with you and to you today I call:" "Forgive us, Sylvester, patron saint of jokes and fun, permit us to ponder on what will grow from the seed to be planted now at midnight." "Think of this world in 50, in a 100 years." "Let us look forward with optimism." "Progress reigns supreme." "Future industry, farming folk educated, commerce and communications exceeding our hopes." "Nations will unite in their efforts and laws." "What we built for dozens, hundreds of years our grandsons will outdo in one single year." "Craftsmen and scientists businessman and politicians will be free to apply their abilities to become true craftsmen in their professions." "Art will give the poet all the licence he needs." "In a 100 years there'll be no oppressed classes or nations, world solidarity will be the rule." "All wars will be but history." "That is no Utopia, dear Friends." "It is the most credible promise given to the 20th century as a gift by sober common sense." "We shall be lucky and witness it all." "Let us lift our glasses, Friends!" "Modern times, we greet you!" "Mankind will breathe deep of peace and never let that breath escape its breast again." "Ladies and Gentleman, a happy New Year!" "Your good health!" "I'll not marry, I'm still young." "And what about me?" "Let the trumpet sound and the years unfold." "Music changes, what will it be like in a 100 years?" "Do you hear, Vienna?" "!" "Paul!" "Are you here too?" "Are you on leave?" "I'll take the handsome officer who knows how to charm me!" "Isn't this fun?" "Enjoying yourself?" "Where are you sitting?" "Like the Lord from up above you watch us swarming about below." "What do you think of the Boers?" "The war in Africa." "I'd snap on a cartridge-belt, take my gun..." "Pity I can't shoot like you do." "I'll be seeing you." "Odd acquaintances you have." "That's Paul Malina, my cousin." "Didn't you recognize him?" "Let's dance, I shart trample you to death." "You know what he said?" "That you're the only person won't coming to see in this town?" "No, that he liked your little show a lot." "Oh, the Officer and the Lady." "Of all the guys I know you're the only man I couldn't beat if we had a fight." "What beastly luck you're" "Don't feel like eating?" "I know." "You had a letter from Pavlik, that teacher person." "Give it to me!" "He is a low-class type we know nothing about." "It isn't fitting for him to write to you." "I will not have it, understand?" "He's low-class but he's a man." "And he won't be a village teacher forever." "You said it's bad manners to open letters!" "I am your mother!" "How about Groman, the income-tax clerk?" "Has'nt he proposed yet?" "Pavlik will become a Headmaster sooner or later, retire with a pension." "They may elect him into the Town Council." "Do you think Groman is better?" "We know something about the teacher, what do we know about him?" "Yes, we know about the teacher." "That he's poor as a church-mouse." "Father was poor too when you got married." "Had it not been for your dowry, I wouldn't be here." "How unsuitable, from you." "Unsuitable nuts, it's true." "Call in at the Vejrychovsko farm." "It's your brother's birthday on Sunday." "The train is in and whistling madly." "I want to leave this hole so badly!" "Prague, you lie over the hills," "a city that heart and soul fills." "How you entice me, to see" "the Dragoons with bow-legs and Emperor Wilhelm whiskers." "But maybe I shall seek adventure, for the gold of Africa I'll venture." "And if there's nothing I want to be like a vagabond wild and free" "I'll chase animals wild and humble all over this crazy jungle." "My turn!" "I shall marry a gorilla we'd get along just fine her heart's as wild as mine and she would never whine." " Stay here!" " Stepha's allowed to go!" "She's the right one to copy." "You'll do without that." "For how much longer, Madam?" "She might get left on the shelf." "Stepha, Mr. Groman!" "Yeah, Mr. Groman." "Gromars a bad shot." "An income-tax man." "Can't knock over ninepins, can't knock over a woman." "Never mind." "I run out of luck too." "A lady who drinks like a brick-layer isn't a lady." " Aren't you thirsty?" " How can you..." "We're collecting wishes!" "You two come and join us!" "Throw for me, Missy!" "Bravo - nine!" "Nine, you'll see, nine." "You and score nine?" "It pulls to the left, use your thumb." "But you see, Mr. Groman, I..." "No, no, Miss Stepha, no." "I'm a man of strict principles." "Decide - it's your way or mine." "I would not tolerate your behaviour." "I'm listening." "I request a clear answer." "Are you willing to make penitent confession, to apologize for your hat is impossible, shameless and brazen, and do you promise not to wear it again?" "But it was so expensive..." "You think it right not to yield to one's environment, to remain true to yourself." "And now for this hat..." "Yes or no?" "No!" "Well then - goodbye!" "Write your wish on here!" "Someone may find it..." "Give it to me!" "How dare you?" "Is it yours?" "Come to me, I'm alone, I'm waiting!" "Here, it's about to fly off!" "Don't worry, she won't miss this!" "Congratulations, Uncle." "Ah, the Vejrychovsko farm." "What fun we had here." "Come on in!" "I was happy here." "What you need is a decent woman." "I'd clean the place for you, but you see the state I'm in." "No good for anything any more." "Without Stepha's arm to lean on" "I would hardly have got here." "Are your feet troubling you?" "Rheumatism." "Who knows what it is..." "And John, when is he going to marry?" "No hope there." "Now quiet it is here." "The clock's broken." "Happened a week ago." "I haven't got it mended yet." "Well, Stepha?" "Welcome, Aunt." "How is Paul doing?" "I can't remember when I saw him last." "Paul." "Our Paul." "Look, isn't he a fine figure of a man." "He wrote in German." "As an Australian officer..." "Handsome, isn't he?" "As young as ever." "A great career ahead for him with the military." "He looked dashing on New Year's Eve." "Paul is a problem." "Drinking, cards, women..." "They outrival each other and you foot the bill!" "You know how word gets around." "Kilian said you send him big money." "Isn't it odd, I remember..." "You, Paul and I..." "Such a lot of space..." "It's all smaller now." "What's wrong with her?" "What do you care?" "Young lady from town." "From town?" "I feel more at home here." "How can that be?" "He brought a debt home, to be signed." "Said he'd shoot himself." "Waved his revolver about, had we not signed..." "John and me." "He wouldn't have shot himself." "I can see right through him." "But we signed anyway." "He says he won't have to pay, he owes a man money that another owes him." "That's the way things are." "Why didn't you get married?" "And why didn't you?" "It's been a long time." "A long time." "You went gray." "And what about me?" "Just look at me." "None of us are getting younger." "To live well, that's my principle." "Goodbye, Uncle, au revoir dear Aunt!" "How dreadful." "He's all burnt up." "And it's my fault." "It's his own fault." "We couldn't know the outcome when you got him into the cadets." "I'm angry with you!" "Why aren't you in uniform?" "They'd all turn their heads." "I like officers." "Don't be so grumpy." "Tell me how you're doing?" "I'm killing time." "Why be impolite to a lady." "I thought that officers were gentlemen." "I hear you're not returning to your regiment?" "I doubt they'd be happy to have me." "Are you worried about anything?" "You think me a romantic figure." "How wrong you are." "Shame on you." "Don't you think she's pretty?" "Quite pretty." "Come and see us some time!" " I don't like visiting people." " But we are family." "Will you play cards if I come?" "We don't have any cards." "I'll bring my own." "Start thinking about moving out." "I'll be needing your room." "To sleep in with my wife." " Any more coming?" " You heard." "I've worked my fingers to the bone for a scoundrel and thief!" "You squandered your share and started on mine." "For years I did nothing but drudge and now I'm practically a beggar his lordship shows up demanding bed and board, expecting us to clean up after him!" "I'll get rid of you whilst I have a roof over my head!" "I'll get married." "I'll be the master here!" "Me and my family!" "Since when do we take orders from you?" "I still have a father." "He won't speak up for you." "He knows what's left is mine." "If he said a word, I'd go." "Where's he find such a servant a farmstead drudge - for free!" "Who supports him, too!" "I'd like to see that." "Who are you marrying, or is it a secret?" "Jesus Christ!" "So it's Polly." "Get out and mind your own business!" "It is Polly, isn't it?" "That's enough." "Polly's a good worker..." "Good... that she is." "I could recommend her for that, but otherwise..." "You rat, with your foreign ways..." "You cripple!" "I'll choke the life out of you!" "A cripple, am I?" "My, what a couple!" "What a daughter for you!" "He's right, what choice does he have." "A great idea, dear brother." "Let misery and want join hands." "That'll help us all." "I have a better proposal." "Time enough to bring a pauper bride onto an impoverished farm." "How about bringing in a rich bride." "We need money, don't we?" "And not turn servant into mistress!" "That makes sense!" "But you lack sense!" "I know all that too." "But where find a girl to throw her dowry into our pit of debts?" "Ask him that!" "And I want to get married!" "To have children and live like a human!" "I know of such a bride." "It won't be John who marries her, but me!" "I love horses, lovely women and battle." "I'll keep count, ladies!" "A ribbon for her mare!" "I'll die, it's tickling!" "A true hit!" "I've got you, my pretty mare." "What a ride this'll be, may I have the pleasure?" "The Boer War, girls!" "What do we get out of it?" "What's happened to you?" "Any objections, dear cousin?" "Will you accept help from a retired cavalier?" "No, don't be silly." "How dashing you look, quite a different man." "You're quite a girl too." "Full of pluck." "A sight for sore eyes - for a guy who's seen the world." "Star of the Drama Society." "Don't exaggerate!" "One day he ignores me and next day this..." "I have some shopping to do." "I'll walk with you." "To the grocer's?" "You'll have a good time with her!" "She knows the newspaper by heart when it's about the military!" "Silly fool." "Let them be." "He's carrying Stepha's bread for her!" "There's nothing so foolish as a young girl." "You and I, we know what's what." "Will you wait here?" "Wait till she dresses up." "Her latest hat is from Vienna." "Goodbye for now." "Let's see." "You look so forbidding under this thing." "And those whiskers, quite scary they are." "You're no tyrant, or are you?" "You don't rant and rave at people." "Now I could actually imagine giving you a kiss!" "Since you're home I've been thinking - there's something wrong with him." "He's unappy." "This isn't the old Paul, playmate of my childhood..." "Before you left for Cadet School." "I was only a boy, but I fancied you." "Come and see us some time!" " Mother's feet are bothering her." " What is it?" "I have to go home." "Where else?" " I have a better idea." " What?" "Fire!" "My, aren't I a fool?" "!" "Remember how you taught me to shoot arrows at the sun-flowers behind the barn?" "I was only a kid then." "You always said:" ""Come on, fire!"" "And you nearly boxed my ears." "Yes, you were only a little girl." "D'you know the story about the sharpshooter?" "He cast his bullets in a circle drawn onto the rock with a blessed piece of chalk... amongst the owls and devils." "The thirteenth means treachery!" "Something like old Vejrych." " What about that loaf?" " I'll buy another." "Will you come?" "Don't forget!" "You didn't have whiskers here." "I was sixteen on this one." "This is Mother, Father." "Here we're playing robbers." "Don't look at that!" "Have a biscuit." " I had these here last time." " Last time." " That was quite a few years ago." " Exactly." " Last time..." "Are you mad?" "If mother saw!" "I didn't go to mass, and I'd play cards instead?" "You came for a card game?" "I want to get married, my dear." "I've come to you for advice." "To me?" "Why me?" "Who do you want to marry?" "What a question." "Who do you think?" "A bride, of course." "Have you got one?" "You're right, I haven't." "But I'd like to win one." "Yes." "A local girl." "Who?" "You." "Now then, wait." "Did you say you want to marry me?" "Yes." "With the serious intentions of a man, who is no longer a fool." "Dear Stepha, please be my wife." "You must be crazy!" "Not at all." "An odd way to court you, I know." "But I'm a bit old to sigh and sit stroking your hand." " Didrt we always understand each other?" " You..." "My parents will say you want me for my money." "They'd do me a wrong." "You can't believe..." "Well - yes, for the money too." "You know the state our farm is in." "If I didn't stand here with empty pockets..." "Who knows." "I'm no angel, but who'd love you just as you are?" "One wouldn't permit your acting, another'd forbid your crazy hats." "I know you and want you." "I offer you freedom in everything." "I wouldn't mind what you did." "Because you don't care!" "My parents." "I am here to ask for her hand." "I came to persuade Stepha to marry me." "You?" "What impertinence!" "They've had enough of your ways?" "Gave you the boot!" "They shook off the leech at the farm and it's come crawling here." "You come here to tell me - after my years of drudgery to save up what I could for her, because she is all I have..." "And now you come and say give me her dowry and I'll trample it into the dust before I go to the devil?" "!" "My answer, dear Lieutenant:" "I'd rather stuff every penny into a dog's carcass!" "That's all I have to say, you can go." "But Father, do sit down..." "He has no decent livelihood!" "He wants to start farming, Mother." "The farm needs another man." "If only we knew..." "They've thrown him out." "That's what's behind all this." "There's nothing behind it." "Enough promises and pleas for me." "I'll come when you are calmer, and hope you'll hear me out." "You've driven him away!" "You've decided to save me." "You've "saved" me all right." "I am thirty." "An old maid." "I never had a man and never shall." "And I want a man of my own!" "A husband and a child!" "I refuse to be an old maid!" "I used to love the boy, he took after my father." "Little girl, don't you cry" "life is hardly won't a sigh..." "What's such a slavey good for?" "What sort of a bride would she make?" "I said - don't be an idiot, John." "Paul will set the farm on its feet and then you'll have your choice in girls." "Such a chit of a servant." "Her father wouldn't have built such a house." "Should I have remained an old maid?" "With only the wastrels left to choose from, at least I've got their King." "Stephanie!" "This should have happened ten years ago." "But now?" "Look forward to being a widow soon." "How about getting to bed." "But you must not look." "Of course not." "You won't be the first I see in her shirt." "D'you know what I'm pleased with?" "The carriage." "I wondered what my parents would give us." "I wouldn't have guessed - our own carriage." "It'll be nice having our own." "We'll have to move the mirror, I can't see for my own shadow." "Stand still, you..." "Where do you think you're off to?" "I'll find you!" "I'll kill you!" "You bitch!" "I would have taken you to the altar." "To my table and my bed." "And you whored around with that bastard who's laughing at me now!" "Come on!" "Here one could make an end to it all." "I hereby throw away your past." "You'd have to throw me down with it." "Even then I might leave something behind." "I'm only a visitor here now." "You're right, the biscuits are awful." "You must get others in now I'll be coming to eat them." " I might live to see them..." " Whom?" "My grandchildren, of course." "When we have a child..." "Thank you." "Light up!" "Go to bed." "Clever girl." "You said you wanted to be a farmer." "Killing animals, is that amusing?" "A gun and a piece of forest, it wouldn't cost you much." "Why suffer abuse for my sake if you don't care for me?" "Who said I don't?" "But to want and to take..." "Army life has worn me out." "I'll take time before I'm myself again." "Army life..." "I'd have clawed her eyes out in the past, but now" " I envy her." "A gun." "The Martin Wood." "I acquired it quite cheaply." "But kill me right now if it is how you mean to go on living." "I want to be your wife or death." "But Stepha, my dearest." "I have explained." "Why aren't you more patient?" "You have your gun and your forest now." "See how good I am to you?" "Now you be good to me." "We need not have children right away, I know there are ways to be man and wife without having children." "I'll tell you how things are." "We shart sleep together, nor have children." "Not because I don't want to." "I can't." "I thought you'd understand, that you'd leave me in peace." "Not remind me of the fact a hundred times a day." "Did'nt you know, before?" "Of course I knew." "You were not to know." "You wouldn't have married me, would you?" " How long will it take to cure?" " Well..." "It can be treated." "Have you tried?" "Here?" "For everyone to know?" "You'll go to town." "To Prague if need be." "Right away, tomorrow." "If they knew..." "John," "I want to talk to you." "I'm busy." "Some have to work, if you want to eat." "Exactly, we must talk." "I have a suggestion." "You're farming half the land, the other half's mine." "Either I must hire mine." "Either I must hire someone, or could pay you instead of a stranger for managing my half." "I'd be working with you." "On my own I'd make mistake." "If we don't want to lose the farm we must start making money." "I can't go to Paul with this." "You know that." "You can't reproach me for anything and you haven't wronged me either." "What's the good of pulling two ways." "We'd both suffer, so would the farm." "You must help me." "You're going to be a farmer?" "!" "An educated one at that." "Doctor Professor on manures, master in oxen," "Bachelor on the pig-sty." "Smoke less or open the window!" "I'm so very much alone." "That's what's killing me." "That will really make me ill." " Why not go to town now and then?" " Amongst those yokels?" "Skinflints who talk of nothing but money?" "Sit in a pub with that?" "Stay home, then." "How I'd like to sleep with you." "Just once!" "You are limping." "Walking outdoors in the frost..." "Shall I get something for it?" "Some ointment." "Maybe it would help." "For this?" "Well, if you think so." "A visitor?" "Get some food and drink, dammit!" "Now we'll have a spree!" "Come right in!" "Here you can gorge yourself till you're sick!" "Isn't he handsome, Madam." "Get some food on the table." "Well, have you brought the money?" "What money?" "The money Walter owes me." "Here nobody believes I ever had money." "Walter owes you money?" "That's a joke?" "My dear friend, Walter won't return your money." "A horse threw him, he's dead." "Instead of his whiskers, he's chewing daisy-roots." "The bastard." "Stepha, George is my witness." "The only man I lent money to and he falls off his horse." "Well, Stepha?" "She goes in for theatricals, you know." "And how!" "Used to be the star of our town." "Isn't George a handsome man, Stepha?" "Lieutenant George, the idol of all women from Prague to Salzburg." "As Lieutenant, but who knows." "In civies he won't be that grand." "How's Elsa doing?" "Ah, Elsa." "You don't say - honestly?" "Yes." "What is it to me." "Remember?" "I'll not die of over-work, I'll not of want, the rope will not throttle me, I'll die..." "This is the life." "You wouldn't like it." "Ask Paul, he'll tell you:" "Like prison." "He may be right." "Why think the future?" "I doubt if that's any good, Madame." "Is it not wiser to accept everything life has to offer here and now?" "Before it's too late?" "That mischievous game of chance, that invisible spider's web drives happiness away and tomorrow it may be too late." "We soldiers look fate in the eye." "We'll be dead for so long!" "Watch out, there used to be ghosts here." "You want to frighten me?" "I am a superstitious man." "She is right." "A yeoman named Vejrych build this place." "He took up with the devil." "With a whole gang of devils!" "In that old barn out there." "Are you scared?" "Go on!" "Finally he and that she-devil got married in that barn." "What a wedding!" "12 carriages with hairy black devils - the clank and the din " "and in the 13th sat Vejrych sat with the devil-bitch." " Still not scared?" " But I am." "When I'm asleep the devils could cavort on my tum." "Good night." "Old Vejrych was some guy." "Did'nt have bad taste, either." "All later owners went down-hill." "The last one was a skinflint and thief." "My Grandfather." "Elsa bore a child at the nunnery." "What is it?" "What are you doing?" "No, no!" "Is that why you asked him here?" "You made a mistake." "You wanted a child." "You wanted one, not I." "You had your chance and you whipped him like a horse!" "Poor George." "You won't find a more handsome man." "The master doesn't look well." "His health worries me." "He walks so oddly." "That's rheumatism!" "He is trying to exercise his joints, however painful it is." "I don't think it's rheumatism." "My Grandpa was rheumaticky, but he didn't walk like that." "This could be his spinal chord." "Something like Machon." "Jerky Machon, the consumptive?" "That's not consumption, Madam." "Mrs. Machon is my aunt." "The doctor told her to be glad she had no children by him." "Have you soaked the laundry?" "It's wash-day tomorrow." "The old man." "It's as bad as I say." "And worse." "Nothing but trouble." "Put a stop to it or he must go." "I'm too busy to look for new farm-hands." "They'll soon be afraid to stay." "If he is mad..." "Take that gun away from him!" "And do it without delay!" "He may improve." "He is feeling better." "Next week he's coming with me to visit my parents." "And he wants to walk!" "The limping Lieutenant!" "Heavens, what is it?" "Tabes paralysis." "A progressive paralysis." "The love sickness, as they say." "Syphilis." "That woman held my little Helen's hand!" "The limping Lieutenant!" "Why did you never tell me?" "What's wrong with him?" "It wasn't as bad as this." "Only just lately." "I'll last a bit longer." "Anyway, better a widow than an old maid." "How about a song?" "To stir you up a bit." "Little girl, don't you cry" "life is hardly won't a sigh..." "I'm alive!" "Don't make such a noise!" "Must they all be scared of you?" "Would you have come in otherwise?" "Being quiet is like being dead." "Did you see him?" "I watch him." "He never looks this way, not once." "Even were I to go crazy." "Even were I to peg out!" " You're not dying yet." " Much to your sorrow." "It'll be sooner than you think." "Why did you let him take the horse?" "Nobody told us not to." " Wait, don't start unarnessing!" " Give the horse a rest." "He drove off, he'll manage to come back." "Listen, you..." "What's the matter with you?" "Let's go!" "Stop!" "Wait!" "Whoa!" "Looks like the horses bolted, the master must have fallen out." "This is the road from Krkavec, isn't it?" "Let's go!" "Halt!" "Wait here." "Paul!" "Give me a push." "Nobody'll ever know." "I'm scared to..." "What happened?" "Who is that?" "God, Madam, get to bed!" "What happened?" "She died last night." "Some patients are allowed to walk about in the gardens." "Heavens, what's that?" "Unfortunately this does happen." "But not very often does it come to this." "Difficult cases must be tended behind bars." "Do not worry, Madame, your husband will not come to this." "He will have all the care he needs, you could not nurse him at home." "Particularly not during the final phase." "There now." "If you permit me to say so, consider yourself very lucky you did not conceive a child." "Still interested in theatre?" "Good afternoon, Stepha." "They are playing Monica again." "All strangers to me now." "How is Xaver?" "You know how it goes in business, with a busy social life." "Responsibilities and maybe a family as well." "Forgive me, but I must go." "I'll be happy to see you again some time." "Vejrychovsko used to be one farm." "Ours!" "Now it is divided." "One half belongs to you, one to Stepha." "I've been watching her." "A strong, healthy girl." "And a brainy one." "And she isn't too old to you know..." "But hurry up about it." "Don't waste any time, she could bring a stranger into the house." "You'd never guess." "Do you know whose child that was?" "They wanted to plant Paul's bastard on us!" "That officer who visited gave them our address." "What did you say?" "That he's dead." "That's right." "In time there'll be your children." "Petra!"