The Ride Across Lake Constance and Other Plays (9 page)
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Authors: Peter Handke
Tags: #Fiction, #Literary
BOOK: The Ride Across Lake Constance and Other Plays
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GEORGE
But born losers?
Â
JANNINGS
Consequently, they do exist.
Â
GEORGE
And born troublemakers?
Â
JANNINGS
They exist.
Â
GEORGE
And therefore there are born criminals?
Â
JANNINGS
It's only logical.
Â
GEORGE
As I wanted to say at the time â¦
Â
JANNINGS
(
Interrupts him
.) “At the time”? Has it been that long already?
Interrupts him
.) “At the time”? Has it been that long already?
Â
GEORGE
(
Hesitates; astonished
) Yes, that's odd! (
Then continues rapidly
.) Just as there are born losers, born troublemakers, and born criminals, there are (
He spreads his fingers
.) born owners. Most people as soon as they own something are not themselves any more. They lose their balance and become ridiculous. Estranged from themselves they begin to squint. Bed wetters who stand next to their bed in the morning. (The bed signifies their possession. Or perhaps their shame?) (
Brief moment of confusion, then he continues at once
.) I, on the other hand, am a born owner: only when I possess something do I become myself â¦
Hesitates; astonished
) Yes, that's odd! (
Then continues rapidly
.) Just as there are born losers, born troublemakers, and born criminals, there are (
He spreads his fingers
.) born owners. Most people as soon as they own something are not themselves any more. They lose their balance and become ridiculous. Estranged from themselves they begin to squint. Bed wetters who stand next to their bed in the morning. (The bed signifies their possession. Or perhaps their shame?) (
Brief moment of confusion, then he continues at once
.) I, on the other hand, am a born owner: only when I possess something do I become myself â¦
Â
JANNINGS
(
Interrupts him
.) “Born owner”? I've never heard that expression.
Interrupts him
.) “Born owner”? I've never heard that expression.
Â
Â
(
Pause
.)
Pause
.)
Â
GEORGE
(
Suddenly
) “Life is a game”âyou must have heard people say that? (JANNINGS
makes no reply, waits
.) And a game has winners and losers, right? (JANNINGS
makes no reply
.) And those who don't get anything are the losers, and those who can have everything are the winners, right? (JANNINGS
makes no reply, only bends forward, opens his mouth, but not to speak
.) And do you know the expression “born winner”?
Suddenly
) “Life is a game”âyou must have heard people say that? (JANNINGS
makes no reply, waits
.) And a game has winners and losers, right? (JANNINGS
makes no reply
.) And those who don't get anything are the losers, and those who can have everything are the winners, right? (JANNINGS
makes no reply, only bends forward, opens his mouth, but not to speak
.) And do you know the expression “born winner”?
Â
(
Silence. Suddenly both burst out laughing and slap each other's thighs. While they are still doing so, a woman appears above left on the staircase. She is beautiful. She is wearing a long dress in which she moves as though it were carrying her. She has appeared noiselessly and has walked down a few steps. She stops in the middle of the left staircase, puts her hand on the bannister, and turns her head a little: it is
ELISABETH BERGNER.
Her hands are empty, no handbag
.
Silence. Suddenly both burst out laughing and slap each other's thighs. While they are still doing so, a woman appears above left on the staircase. She is beautiful. She is wearing a long dress in which she moves as though it were carrying her. She has appeared noiselessly and has walked down a few steps. She stops in the middle of the left staircase, puts her hand on the bannister, and turns her head a little: it is
ELISABETH BERGNER.
Her hands are empty, no handbag
.
She observes the strange scene beneath her with lowered eyelids:
JANNINGS
and
GEORGE
are busy pulling each other's ears and patting each other's cheeks. She moves a few steps farther down and now remains standing, face forward, on the wide center staircase. With lowered eyelids she appears to observe the two below her:
JANNINGS
is just showing
GEORGE
the back of his hand;
GEORGE
replies by making a circle with his thumb and forefinger and then holding his hand in front of his face; and
JANNINGS
replies to this sign by holding both hands above his head, loosely clasping one wrist with thumb and forefinger of the other hand and letting the clasped hand circle about itself, whereupon both of them burst out laughing once again, and again start slapping each other's thighs, making exclamations such as “Exactly!” “You guessed it!” Then one of them slowly calms down while the other continues to slap his thighs.
JANNINGS
and
GEORGE
are busy pulling each other's ears and patting each other's cheeks. She moves a few steps farther down and now remains standing, face forward, on the wide center staircase. With lowered eyelids she appears to observe the two below her:
JANNINGS
is just showing
GEORGE
the back of his hand;
GEORGE
replies by making a circle with his thumb and forefinger and then holding his hand in front of his face; and
JANNINGS
replies to this sign by holding both hands above his head, loosely clasping one wrist with thumb and forefinger of the other hand and letting the clasped hand circle about itself, whereupon both of them burst out laughing once again, and again start slapping each other's thighs, making exclamations such as “Exactly!” “You guessed it!” Then one of them slowly calms down while the other continues to slap his thighs.
In the meantime, two other persons have appeared on the right section of the staircase; both of them have stopped at once and observed the strange scene below: a man and a woman. One can recognize them:
ERICH VON STROHEIM
and
HENNY PORTEN.
He is impressive, wears a red dressing gown over a gray vest and pants as the only hint at a costume. She wears an evening dress with a velvet stole.
ERICH VON STROHEIM
and
HENNY PORTEN.
He is impressive, wears a red dressing gown over a gray vest and pants as the only hint at a costume. She wears an evening dress with a velvet stole.
As they appear
, PORTEN
loudly claps her handbag shut and
VON STROHEIM
pulls up the zipper in back of her dress, then fastens his collar button:
“As I said ⦔
But it now becomes unclear how they belong together; they stand two steps apart.
, PORTEN
loudly claps her handbag shut and
VON STROHEIM
pulls up the zipper in back of her dress, then fastens his collar button:
“As I said ⦔
But it now becomes unclear how they belong together; they stand two steps apart.
Â
The noise of the handbag has made one of the two downstairs gradually quiet down
. “Don't turn around!”
he says to the other.
. “Don't turn around!”
he says to the other.
The other immediately turns around and sees the three persons standing on the staircase
. “No corpse,”
he says to the other
. “You can turn around: everyone is alive.”
. “No corpse,”
he says to the other
. “You can turn around: everyone is alive.”
The other turns around, then he rubs his eyes fervently.
“Don't you believe me?”
the first one asks.
the first one asks.
“I just wasn't prepared for such a bright light,”
he replies.
“I didn't know that it was so late already. We've lost all track of time with our talking!”
he replies.
“I didn't know that it was so late already. We've lost all track of time with our talking!”
“We?”
the first one asks at once.
the first one asks at once.
“I,”
answers the other.
answers the other.
Â
Pause.
Â
“Yes, me too,”
the first one says.
the first one says.
Â
PORTEN
is rocking back and forth on the stairway, plays
with her stole; the others are rather quiet.
is rocking back and forth on the stairway, plays
with her stole; the others are rather quiet.
PORTEN
slowly proceeds farther down the stairway, grazes
VON STROHEIM
with her stole, then exaggerates the way she steps around him
. VON STROHEIM
quickly overtakes her, stops with his back to her as if to block her path
. PORTEN
smooths down the back collar of his dressing gown, which was turned up, blows softly on his neck, and walks on. Where the two sections of the staircase join
, VON STROHEIM
stops next to
BERGNER
and bends over her neck from the back. She slowly turns around with lowered eyelids, puts her arms around his neck, leans her head against his chest
. PORTEN
has come closer, touches BERGNER'S hip with the handbag
. BERGNER
turns her head toward her, frees herself from
VON STROHEIM,
with slow movements takes the handbag from
PORTEN
and dreamily hangs it over her own shoulder, and in the same manner offers her hand to
VON STROHEIM,
palm up. He suggests a kiss on the palm, then takes a step aside so that PORTEN, who in the meantime has stepped behind him, now “takes her turn” and bends over the hand which
BERGNER
has turned over. PORTEN gives the incident a different interpretation by only looking at the hand over which she is bent. She straightens up, keeps the hand in hers, and guides it to
VON STROHEIM
as if she wanted to point out something on it
to him
. VON STROHEIM
nods as though he saw it too. This nodding, however, gradually becomes a sign that he agrees to the following:
PORTEN
guides
BERGNER'S
hand under
VON STROHEIM'S
vest and moves it caressingly around
, BERGNER
suddenly withdraws the hand and lets it drop. But it is PORTEN who emits a brie scream. She makes a small curtsy in front of
BERGNER
and then suggests a bow in front of
VON STROHEIM.
Then she takes a step back, squints at one of the twoâone doesn't know at whomâand proceeds to go down the few steps into the room.
slowly proceeds farther down the stairway, grazes
VON STROHEIM
with her stole, then exaggerates the way she steps around him
. VON STROHEIM
quickly overtakes her, stops with his back to her as if to block her path
. PORTEN
smooths down the back collar of his dressing gown, which was turned up, blows softly on his neck, and walks on. Where the two sections of the staircase join
, VON STROHEIM
stops next to
BERGNER
and bends over her neck from the back. She slowly turns around with lowered eyelids, puts her arms around his neck, leans her head against his chest
. PORTEN
has come closer, touches BERGNER'S hip with the handbag
. BERGNER
turns her head toward her, frees herself from
VON STROHEIM,
with slow movements takes the handbag from
PORTEN
and dreamily hangs it over her own shoulder, and in the same manner offers her hand to
VON STROHEIM,
palm up. He suggests a kiss on the palm, then takes a step aside so that PORTEN, who in the meantime has stepped behind him, now “takes her turn” and bends over the hand which
BERGNER
has turned over. PORTEN gives the incident a different interpretation by only looking at the hand over which she is bent. She straightens up, keeps the hand in hers, and guides it to
VON STROHEIM
as if she wanted to point out something on it
to him
. VON STROHEIM
nods as though he saw it too. This nodding, however, gradually becomes a sign that he agrees to the following:
PORTEN
guides
BERGNER'S
hand under
VON STROHEIM'S
vest and moves it caressingly around
, BERGNER
suddenly withdraws the hand and lets it drop. But it is PORTEN who emits a brie scream. She makes a small curtsy in front of
BERGNER
and then suggests a bow in front of
VON STROHEIM.
Then she takes a step back, squints at one of the twoâone doesn't know at whomâand proceeds to go down the few steps into the room.
GEORGE
and
JANNINGS
have been the audience in the meantime. But when
PORTEN
begins to walk down, they become alert and begin to count simultaneously: “One, two, three ⦔
PORTEN
slowly descends into the room. “Four, five, seven!” She was just about to place her foot on the sixth step, now she hesitates as if she might fall, then runs back up the steps. She begins to walk down again. “One, two, three, four, five, six, and seven!” But there is also an eighth step and PORTEN, thinking she had reached level ground, stumbles, staggers into the room, gasps for air, and quickly runs back upstairs as if she had been repulsed. She snuggles up to
VON STROHEIM.
and
JANNINGS
have been the audience in the meantime. But when
PORTEN
begins to walk down, they become alert and begin to count simultaneously: “One, two, three ⦔
PORTEN
slowly descends into the room. “Four, five, seven!” She was just about to place her foot on the sixth step, now she hesitates as if she might fall, then runs back up the steps. She begins to walk down again. “One, two, three, four, five, six, and seven!” But there is also an eighth step and PORTEN, thinking she had reached level ground, stumbles, staggers into the room, gasps for air, and quickly runs back upstairs as if she had been repulsed. She snuggles up to
VON STROHEIM.
“Courage! Get up your courage!”
they call to her from below. They whistle the way one whistles to a
°
dog
.
they call to her from below. They whistle the way one whistles to a
°
dog
.
VON STROHEIM
puts his arm around her, supports her by the shoulder, proceeds to lead her slowly downstairs. Her eyes are closed
.
puts his arm around her, supports her by the shoulder, proceeds to lead her slowly downstairs. Her eyes are closed
.
The two below have started counting again. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine!” At “eight”
VON STROHEIM
and
PORTEN
have safely arrived downstairs, but at “nine” they walk down one more step, one that does not exist. They bounce on the floor, go half down to their knees, stagger.
PORTEN
wants to run back but
VON STROHEIM,
who is also unsteady on his feet, leads her to a sofa. He eases her down, but while he is doing so she clutches him, feels with one hand for the sofa, and then lets herself gradually down.
She slowly leans back and sits there with tightly closed eyes, immobile, while
VON STROHEIM
walks step by step to the table where
JANNINGS
and
GEORGE
sit and watch. Hesitating after each movement, both hands propped up on it, he gradually sits down in the fauteuil without a footstool. He wants to lean back, stops, sits there quietly with open eyes. He blinks rapidly, with long pauses in between
.
VON STROHEIM
and
PORTEN
have safely arrived downstairs, but at “nine” they walk down one more step, one that does not exist. They bounce on the floor, go half down to their knees, stagger.
PORTEN
wants to run back but
VON STROHEIM,
who is also unsteady on his feet, leads her to a sofa. He eases her down, but while he is doing so she clutches him, feels with one hand for the sofa, and then lets herself gradually down.
She slowly leans back and sits there with tightly closed eyes, immobile, while
VON STROHEIM
walks step by step to the table where
JANNINGS
and
GEORGE
sit and watch. Hesitating after each movement, both hands propped up on it, he gradually sits down in the fauteuil without a footstool. He wants to lean back, stops, sits there quietly with open eyes. He blinks rapidly, with long pauses in between
.
The audience now looks up to
BERGNER.
She stands there with lowered eyelids.
GEORGE
and
JANNINGS
tiptoe quickly to the stairs and, each holding a finger to the other's mouth, lie down parallel to the lowest step, one on his back, the other on his stomach
. BERGNER
comes down the stairs and steps over stomach and back on the floor. She is already on her way to the table. As
GEORGE
and
JANNINGS
get up and wipe the dust off each other's clothes, she has already settled in the easy chair, taken the cozy off the teapot, poured tea for herself, and, without looking up, brought the cup to her lipsâas if she had done all that in one single movement.
BERGNER.
She stands there with lowered eyelids.
GEORGE
and
JANNINGS
tiptoe quickly to the stairs and, each holding a finger to the other's mouth, lie down parallel to the lowest step, one on his back, the other on his stomach
. BERGNER
comes down the stairs and steps over stomach and back on the floor. She is already on her way to the table. As
GEORGE
and
JANNINGS
get up and wipe the dust off each other's clothes, she has already settled in the easy chair, taken the cozy off the teapot, poured tea for herself, and, without looking up, brought the cup to her lipsâas if she had done all that in one single movement.
GEORGE
and
JANNINGS
Walk black to the table, confused.
)
and
JANNINGS
Walk black to the table, confused.
)
Â
GEORGE
Once more: I offer you my fauteuil. (BERGNER
makes no reply
.) May I offer you my fauteuil?
makes no reply
.) May I offer you my fauteuil?
Â
BERGNER
(
As if asleep
) On the streets the insurmountable filth, the frost, the snowstorms, the immense distances â¦
As if asleep
) On the streets the insurmountable filth, the frost, the snowstorms, the immense distances â¦
Â
JANNINGS
What did she say?
Â
GEORGE
Nothing. She is dreaming. (
To
BERGNER,
as to someone who is talking in his sleep
) Who are you?
To
BERGNER,
as to someone who is talking in his sleep
) Who are you?
Â
BERGNER
I only walked into the parlor to turn off the light and have been lost without a trace ever since.
Â
GEORGE
Â
Who?
Â
BERGNER
Watch out! the candlestick is falling! (JANNINGS
and
GEORGE
turn around, but the candlestick stands motionless on the table.
BERGNER
quickly opens her eyes; screams at once
) Who are you? What do you want? Where am I? (
During these questions she has quieted down again and finished them only for form's sake. She gets up and sits down in one of the free fauteuils, but leaps up again at once
.) It's still warm! (
She tries the second fauteuil and gets up again at once
.) How dare you offer me a chair that is still warm?
and
GEORGE
turn around, but the candlestick stands motionless on the table.
BERGNER
quickly opens her eyes; screams at once
) Who are you? What do you want? Where am I? (
During these questions she has quieted down again and finished them only for form's sake. She gets up and sits down in one of the free fauteuils, but leaps up again at once
.) It's still warm! (
She tries the second fauteuil and gets up again at once
.) How dare you offer me a chair that is still warm?
Â
JANNINGS
I?
Â
BERGNER
No, he. (
She points at
GEORGE.)
She points at
GEORGE.)
Â
PORTEN
(
Sitting quietly in the rear on the sofa, has opened her eyes
.) What snowstorms?
Sitting quietly in the rear on the sofa, has opened her eyes
.) What snowstorms?
Â
(VON STROHEIM
stops blinking his eyes and follows the conversation.
)
stops blinking his eyes and follows the conversation.
)
Â
BERGNER
(
To
GEORGE) Why don't you answer? (
To
JANNINGS) He doesn't answer? (JANNINGS
stammers
.) Think before you speak!
To
GEORGE) Why don't you answer? (
To
JANNINGS) He doesn't answer? (JANNINGS
stammers
.) Think before you speak!
Â
(
Pause.
)
Pause.
)
Â
JANNINGS
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