Page:Poet Lore, volume 27, 1916.djvu/76

 Dušek.—No, some German. A sculptor.

Hlaváček.—And you’re not going to take the trip to Munich?

Dušek (Bitterly).—What on? On the strength of the debts I have now?

Hlaváček.—Well, then stay here with us until you find something again. We’ll find a place for you. You can sleep here. (Points to the divan.) It isn’t very cold in May.

Dušek.—Oh, no, no! (Considering). Well, we’ll see if I won’t be in the way. (Looks around.) But I wanted to say this! I have all sorts of trash and old things up there—don’t you want them?

Hlaváček (Embarrassed).—My boy, I haven’t any of these just now—(Makes gesture indicating money.)

Dušek.—Pshaw—money! You don’t suppose I want to sell the stuff to you?

Hlaváček.—Don’t you need any?

Dušek (Laughs bitterly).—Oh, I need it all right! But five florins won't help me any. I made a lot of debts early in the winter when I was still with those—(Hesitates) Well, you know what I was doing! And now I’ve been making more debts. I’ve pawned everything I owned.

Hlaváček (Softly).—Milo!

Dušek (Takes out his pocket book and draws forth a pawn ticket).—Look! This was the last thing—my dead father’s watch. They loaned me six gold florins on it. (Out of the purse falls a ring.)

Hlaváček (Stoops).—You dropped something didn’t you?

(Searching on the floor.) Aha, here it is! (Picks up the ring.)

Dušek (Seizing it).—Show it to me! (Gazes at it and then says sorrowfully.) Ládo, don’t you know this ring? Don’t you? It is the one that Staza gave back to me that time. (Points towards center of studio) Right here, don’t you remember? (In bitter tones) It will soon be a year ago. Oh, oh, oh!

Hlaváček (Involuntarily).—Poor Staza!

Dušek (Abruptly).—Why—poor Staza? She’s better off than I am. (A pause.) She got married in Vienna, did you hear about it?

Hlaváček (Surprised).—Really?

Dušek (Dryly).—Of course. You know how it goes—a woman! (Becomes silent, then softly.) And yet it didn’t have to be! (Gazes at the ring and then thrusts it into his purse.) So it goes! (With a melancholy smile.) Well, they’re both married—