Page:Poet Lore, volume 31, 1920.djvu/514

494 Gülich.—But who knows of that work, madam? If you had but written in German—! Why found a new literature? It will always remain poor, kann nicht anders sein? Why then, when we have already so great and so rich a literature? That will be of more service to culture ''und der Humanität. Und die ist das Höchste, der Gipfel der Bildung.''

Mrs Rettig.—But that great and rich literature is still only foreign and-Humanität! In its name you wish us to take our own lives, to cease to live. And we wish to live our own lives, doctor; we feel strength for life. To love one's country is a duty, is it not?

Gülich.—Yes, that is true.

Mrs. Rettig.—But to love one's country and people is impossible without loving and cultivating its language. That is an inseparable symptom of a people. And in that patriotism is it not an act of true humanity, of true culture, to raise a fallen nation, to defend it and its rights, to labor for the end that its sons and daughters may in their own language, in their own spirit serve culture and humanity?

Gülich.—Ja, sehr schön, aber—

Mrs. Roller.—And it is also very nice that the patriots support one another so.

Mrs. Roubinek.—We must be on good terms with you, madam. We have daughters.

Mrs. Rettig.—I will receive them gladly if they come to me and wish to learn.

Mrs. Roubínek (Quickly).—O, not that: I was thinking—

Mrs. Roller.—If they needed husbands.

Mrs. Rettig.—Husbands! Do you mean to say that I supply husbands?

Gülich.—At least this last engagement.

Mrs. Roller.—Dr. Plavec—

Mrs. Roubínek.—A patriot—

Mrs. Rettig.—Yes, and a friend of my husband.

Gülich.—And the tax-collector's daughter. He is going to marry her.

Mrs. Rettig.—I just heard of it a moment ago.

Mrs. Roubínek.—Only a moment ago?

Mrs. Roller.—And every one thinks that only through your help—