The Ride Across Lake Constance and Other Plays (15 page)
Read The Ride Across Lake Constance and Other Plays Online
Authors: Peter Handke
Tags: #Fiction, #Literary
BOOK: The Ride Across Lake Constance and Other Plays
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Â
(
Pause
.)
Pause
.)
Â
JANNINGS
You must regard work like a bet: whoever is faster, more elegant, more thoroughâthen there are winners and losers.
Â
GEORGE
But with whom am I supposed to bet when I'm by myself?
Â
JANNINGS
With yourself.
Â
GEORGE
Whether I'm faster than myself?
Â
JANNINGS
No smart talk! You can't allow yourself to be ironical until you've finished your work ⦠Don't you have two hands?
Â
GEORGE
Obviously.
Â
JANNINGS
Which hand is more nimble?
Â
GEORGE
The right one, I suppose.
Â
JANNINGS
Then make a bet with yourself and give it a try. (
Pause
. GEORGE
starts putting cigars back in the box first with his left, then with his right hand. He becomes increasingly faster, gets into a frenzy. He has finished and puts the box on the table
. ) Which hand won?
Pause
. GEORGE
starts putting cigars back in the box first with his left, then with his right hand. He becomes increasingly faster, gets into a frenzy. He has finished and puts the box on the table
. ) Which hand won?
Â
GEORGE
(
Remains silent. Speaks suddenly
.) Let's bet on something else.
Remains silent. Speaks suddenly
.) Let's bet on something else.
Â
JANNINGS
Fine, let's make a bet.
Â
GEORGE
(
Points to
PORTEN.) You turn her over your knee and spank her.
Points to
PORTEN.) You turn her over your knee and spank her.
Â
JANNINGS
And what's the bet?
Â
GEORGE
Â
First turn her over your knee. (JANNINGS
puts
PORTEN
over his knee
.) You hit her with the riding crop as fast as you can for one minute. While doing so you keep your mouth shut. If you open it, you've lost.
puts
PORTEN
over his knee
.) You hit her with the riding crop as fast as you can for one minute. While doing so you keep your mouth shut. If you open it, you've lost.
Â
JANNINGS
It's a bet. (
Pause. He starts beating her vigorously, but already after a few slaps his lips part. Startled, he lets go of her and sits down, pinches his lips tight. He wipes his forehead.
GEORGE
also sits down
.
Pause
. VON STROHEIM
touches the guitar as if by chance. A very gentle sound. He laughs.
JANNINGS
opens his mouth as if to roar and wants to hit the table. He shuts his mouth again instantly and lets his fist sink, opens his fingers.
) I believeâ(
He breaks off; he wants
to reach for something but stops in midair and lets his hand drop
.)
Pause. He starts beating her vigorously, but already after a few slaps his lips part. Startled, he lets go of her and sits down, pinches his lips tight. He wipes his forehead.
GEORGE
also sits down
.
Pause
. VON STROHEIM
touches the guitar as if by chance. A very gentle sound. He laughs.
JANNINGS
opens his mouth as if to roar and wants to hit the table. He shuts his mouth again instantly and lets his fist sink, opens his fingers.
) I believeâ(
He breaks off; he wants
to reach for something but stops in midair and lets his hand drop
.)
Â
GEORGE
(
To
PORTEN) You'd better imagine it all once more right now; then you won't need to dream of it later onâ
To
PORTEN) You'd better imagine it all once more right now; then you won't need to dream of it later onâ
Â
PORTEN
(
Smiles
.) Of water and of madness, of â¦
Smiles
.) Of water and of madness, of â¦
Â
VON STROHEIM
(
At the other end, wanted to say something at the same time
.) I was so very â¦
At the other end, wanted to say something at the same time
.) I was so very â¦
Â
(
They both break off. Pause
.)
They both break off. Pause
.)
Â
PORTEN
(
Turns again to
GEORGE.) Of water and of madness, of ships of fools on great rivers where â¦
Turns again to
GEORGE.) Of water and of madness, of ships of fools on great rivers where â¦
Â
VON STROHEIM
(
Again at the same time, to
BERGNER) I was so very much afraid. I was so very much afraid for â¦
Again at the same time, to
BERGNER) I was so very much afraid. I was so very much afraid for â¦
Â
(
Pause
.)
Pause
.)
Â
JANNINGS
(
Points to
VON STROHEIM
while looking at
PORTEN.) It's his turn.
Points to
VON STROHEIM
while looking at
PORTEN.) It's his turn.
Â
(
Pause
.)
Pause
.)
Â
VON STROHEIM
(
As in a game, to BERGNER
) I was so very much afraid for you that I suddenly burst out laughing. You were sitting there and didn't move. Only your jugular vein throbbed.
As in a game, to BERGNER
) I was so very much afraid for you that I suddenly burst out laughing. You were sitting there and didn't move. Only your jugular vein throbbed.
Â
BERGNER
I haven't been listening. (
He bends over her, but so that she has to see his face upside down. She opens her eyes, a small cry of horror; he turns his head so that she sees his face normally again, and she calms down instantly and looks at the guitar
.) Is that for me? ( VON STROHEIM
hesitates, hands it to her
.) And what do I have to do for that? (
She turns the guitar around as if it were a present, then hands it back.
VON STROHEIM
puts the guitar on the table. He strokes
BERGNER'
s neck with his finger. Pause.
BERGNER
slaps his hand
. ) Don't touch me!
He bends over her, but so that she has to see his face upside down. She opens her eyes, a small cry of horror; he turns his head so that she sees his face normally again, and she calms down instantly and looks at the guitar
.) Is that for me? ( VON STROHEIM
hesitates, hands it to her
.) And what do I have to do for that? (
She turns the guitar around as if it were a present, then hands it back.
VON STROHEIM
puts the guitar on the table. He strokes
BERGNER'
s neck with his finger. Pause.
BERGNER
slaps his hand
. ) Don't touch me!
Â
JANNINGS
(
Prompts
.) Why?
Prompts
.) Why?
Â
VON STROHEIM
Why don't you want to be touched? You used to let people touch you.
Â
BERGNER
Don't look at me!
Â
VON STROHEIM
A little while ago you looked at me tenderly.
Â
BERGNER
Does that mean that I should “look at you tenderly” now, too? ( VON STROHEIM
posts himself in front of her. She looks away. )
Every time you men begin to speak, it is as if a beggar is trying to talk to me.
posts himself in front of her. She looks away. )
Every time you men begin to speak, it is as if a beggar is trying to talk to me.
Â
VON STROHEIM
All of us men?
Â
BERGNER
Â
Yes, you too.
Â
VON STROHEIM
Give me your hand.
Â
BERGNER
Why? (
He takes her hand.
) Are you a palm reader? (VON STROHEIM
strokes her hair
.) I know that my hair is a mess.
He takes her hand.
) Are you a palm reader? (VON STROHEIM
strokes her hair
.) I know that my hair is a mess.
Â
VON STROHEIM
You are beautiful.
Â
BERGNER
Have you seen my handbag anywhere?
Â
VON STROHEIM
(
Puts a necklace around her neck
.) What do I get for that?
Puts a necklace around her neck
.) What do I get for that?
Â
BERGNER
Why do you have to spoil my necklace for me?
Â
VON STROHEIM
What must I do to make you stop despising me? Is it the way I move that you dislike? Is it my hairline? Is it the way I hold my head that makes you look away? Do the hairs on my hands disgust you? Do you find it exaggerated the way I move my arms up and down when I walk? Do I talk too much? (PORTEN,
watching from some distance away, laughs. Pause
. VON STROHEIM
as on the telephone
) Are you still there? (BERGNER
looks at him
.) Where were you? Why don't you say something? Do say something! Come back! You were so beautiful, it was painful to look at you; so beautiful that I was suddenly very much afraid for you. You were so painfully beautiful that you left me behindâme, who was suddenly so aliveâleft me behindâterribly
alone.
You said nothing, and I talked to you as one talks to those who have just died: Why don't you say something? Do say something! Can you imagine it?
watching from some distance away, laughs. Pause
. VON STROHEIM
as on the telephone
) Are you still there? (BERGNER
looks at him
.) Where were you? Why don't you say something? Do say something! Come back! You were so beautiful, it was painful to look at you; so beautiful that I was suddenly very much afraid for you. You were so painfully beautiful that you left me behindâme, who was suddenly so aliveâleft me behindâterribly
alone.
You said nothing, and I talked to you as one talks to those who have just died: Why don't you say something? Do say something! Can you imagine it?
Â
(
Pause
.)
Pause
.)
Â
BERGNER
Not any more. For a momentâ(
Pause
.) No. It's over.
Pause
.) No. It's over.
Â
VON STROHEIM
Don't stop talking, I am afraid to break in when you stop talking. Right now my tenderness for you is so vehement that I want to hit you.
Â
(
Pause. He hits her. She stands up. He stares at her. She lets him stare at her
.
Pause. He hits her. She stands up. He stares at her. She lets him stare at her
.
Abandoning the long rigidity, she moves slowly and walks up and down in front of him. She interrupts her smooth movements now and then to turn jerkily, leans her hand on the hip, stretches herself loosely, lets her arms drop, while moving like this, grazes a number of objects, supports herself everywhere, once swings around to
VON STROHEIM,
stops in front of him, takes off her necklace. She is standing there as if she has just come through a door and has leaned against it. She strokes him with the necklace and lets it drop into his pocket.)
VON STROHEIM,
stops in front of him, takes off her necklace. She is standing there as if she has just come through a door and has leaned against it. She strokes him with the necklace and lets it drop into his pocket.)
Â
BERGNER
(
Looks at him
.) Don't move! (
He wants to touch her, she stands still, smiling; he hesitates briefly, now touches her neck and wants to pull her toward him; but he is a moment too late, her neck resists him, she shakes off his hand and steps back
.) Why don't you look at me as if you didn't care?
Looks at him
.) Don't move! (
He wants to touch her, she stands still, smiling; he hesitates briefly, now touches her neck and wants to pull her toward him; but he is a moment too late, her neck resists him, she shakes off his hand and steps back
.) Why don't you look at me as if you didn't care?
Â
VON STROHEIM
For that I would have to imagine that you were mine.
Â
BERGNER
Then imagine it.
Â
VON STROHEIM
Where should I begin?
Â
BERGNER
(
Points to the guitar
.) Does that belong to you? (
She shoves it away contemptuously.)
Points to the guitar
.) Does that belong to you? (
She shoves it away contemptuously.)
Â
VON STROHEIM
The longer I look at you, the ghostlier you seem to me.
Â
BERGNER
And with every one of your feelings you describe to me you take a possible feeling away from me.
Â
VON STROHEIM
I'm not describing my feelings for you.
Â
BERGNER
But you're
intimating
them. And every time you intimate your love for me, my feelings for you grow duller and I shrivel up. Your feelings move me, but I can't respond to them, that's all. At first I loved you, you were so serious. It struck me that usually it can be said only of a child that it is “serious.” Besides (
She laughs
.), you had such beautiful eating habits. You really ate beautifully! And when I once said, “I got wet to the skin!” you said, “To
your
skin!” When I speak of it I almost love you again. (
She embraces him suddenly, but immediately steps back again even farther away.)
But I only have to mention that and I become insensitive right away. You talked all the time and I forgot you more and more. Then I was startled and you were still there ⦠A complete stranger, you talked to me with shameless intimacy, as to someone at the end of a movie. Do you understand? I am taboo for you! Suddenly I was taboo for you. Two seconds! Two seconds of pain, that's what having loved you will mean to me later on. (
Pause
.) I'm not disappointed, I'm not sad, I'm only tired of you. (
She moves imperceptibly under her dress
.) I have wronged you so much.
intimating
them. And every time you intimate your love for me, my feelings for you grow duller and I shrivel up. Your feelings move me, but I can't respond to them, that's all. At first I loved you, you were so serious. It struck me that usually it can be said only of a child that it is “serious.” Besides (
She laughs
.), you had such beautiful eating habits. You really ate beautifully! And when I once said, “I got wet to the skin!” you said, “To
your
skin!” When I speak of it I almost love you again. (
She embraces him suddenly, but immediately steps back again even farther away.)
But I only have to mention that and I become insensitive right away. You talked all the time and I forgot you more and more. Then I was startled and you were still there ⦠A complete stranger, you talked to me with shameless intimacy, as to someone at the end of a movie. Do you understand? I am taboo for you! Suddenly I was taboo for you. Two seconds! Two seconds of pain, that's what having loved you will mean to me later on. (
Pause
.) I'm not disappointed, I'm not sad, I'm only tired of you. (
She moves imperceptibly under her dress
.) I have wronged you so much.
Â
VON STROHEIM
Wronged in what way?
Â
BERGNER
The wrong of loving you.
Â
( PORTEN
suddenly claps her hands vehemently
, GEORGE
laughs offensively,
VON STROHEIM
and
BERGNER
slowly move away from the spot and begin to walk around aimlessly in different directions. Pause
.)
suddenly claps her hands vehemently
, GEORGE
laughs offensively,
VON STROHEIM
and
BERGNER
slowly move away from the spot and begin to walk around aimlessly in different directions. Pause
.)
Â
JANNINGS
(
Begins telling a story
.) A short time ago I saw a stewardess, but an ugly one â¦
Begins telling a story
.) A short time ago I saw a stewardess, but an ugly one â¦
Â
VON STROHEIM
(
Interrupts him.
) Let's talk about something else.
Interrupts him.
) Let's talk about something else.
Â
JANNINGS
(
Begins another story
.) Not long ago I saw a woman standing in the street, not a streetwalker, I must add â¦
Begins another story
.) Not long ago I saw a woman standing in the street, not a streetwalker, I must add â¦
Â
GEORGE
(
Interrupts him
.) Something else!
Interrupts him
.) Something else!
Â
JANNINGS
It is less than a week ago that I saw behind a bank counter someone who had a rather long nose. But when I talked to him, it turned out that despite â¦
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