you. The capitalist sucks the workingman dry and then turns him out on the streets to starve. But we, the people, shall have our day. When first the uprising of the masses—
American. Oh, don't make a speech.
Beggar [whining]. And my military medal is gone. I must have lost it in the water. You can still see the saber wound on my arm.
Young Man. Thus the Fatherland repays its valiant sons.
Beggar. Nobody knows what I suffered for France. Twenty years I served in the foreign legion.
American. This fellow ought to be celebrating his two hundredth birthday soon.
Beggar. O God—my poor wife—my poor children—the youngest is just four months old—
Cocotte. Poor soul, here are two francs for you. [Other people take out their purses.]
Beggar. God bless you mademoiselle. [Holds out his hat for the other alms.]
[During the excitement the Beggar passes through the crowd begging and singing.]
Beggar.
The rich man in his banquet hall,
Has everything I long for.
The poor man gets the crumbs that fall,
That's what I sing this song for.
Help a poor man, sir.
American [cries out in sudden alarm.] My dog! My Molly! She has jumped into the river! [The crowd is still and listening to him.] She will drown! [Runs to the edge of the dock.] There she is—swimming. Oh, my Molly! She cost me eighty dollars. [Desperately.] A hundred dollars to the man that saves my dog. A hundred dollars.
A Man. Do you mean that?
American [deaf to everything but his anxiety]. A hundred dollars. Here, I'll put it up with the Waiter—a hundred dollars for my poor dog.
Voices in the Crowd. A hundred dollars! Five hundred francs!
[The Crowd moves, pushing and gesticulating to the water's edge. One by one they jump into the Seine with a great splashing. Only the American, the Young Man, the Cocotte and the Beggar remain.]
American. My poor Molly! She loved me like a son! Where is that pole? [Gets pole and thrusts with it in the water.]
A Voice. Hey! Oh! My head!
American [beside himself]. There—over there—the poor dog never had a swimming lesson. [Sees the Young Man.] What are you standing there for? You with your precious neighborly love! A hundred and fifty dollars for my dog! Jump in! Here is a deposit. [Pushes money in his hand.]
Young Man [makes ready to jump, but stops at the edge and turns around]. No! For a dog? Never!
American. It was a thoroughbred dog. Jump! I'll give you two hundred—I'll take you back to the U. S. A. with me—I'll pay for your musical education—anything—if you save my dog.
Young Man. Will you really pay for my musical education if I save your dog?
American [on knees by wall]. Every instrument there is—piano, piccolo, cornet, bass drum—only jump!—jump!
Young Man [upon wall throws a farewell kiss to the Cocotte, takes a heroic posture]. With God! [Makes a perfect dive into the river.]
American [at the end of the dock, brokenly]. Poor Molly! [Dries his eyes with handkerchief.] I'll endow a home for poor Parisians if she is brought back to me alive. [To the Cocotte.] Oh, dear lady, I don't know whether I shall be able to meet you to-morrow at the Avenue de l'Opera. I have had a bereavement. [Comes down to the pavement.] I must telephone to the lifeguard station. [Exits into the café.] Poor Molly! All the insurance I carried on her is three thousand dollars. [Exit with Artist into café, Right.] [There is a brief pause.]
Beggar [angrily]. Damn his heart; the dog tender! I hope he drowns himself. Just as I was doing the best business in weeks that damn dog had to spoil everything. The scabby beast.
Cocotte. How often have I asked you not to use those vulgar expressions.
Beggar. What! Is that how a daughter should speak to her father? You shameless wench! I'll teach you. I'll be lame again hereafter. For when I am lame I carry a stick and a stick is a good thing to have in your hand to teach a daughter respect. Ten francs; you know for the picture. [While he speaks he is taking off his coat and vest, showing a cork life belt beneath.] That suicide trick is getting played out anyhow—hardly 50 francs—and I had to pay 20 for the place. Come my daughter, we will go home. [Calls.] Waiter—Waiter!
Cocotte. He doesn't hear you, papa—Waiter if you don't come at once we shall go without paying. [The Waiter enters with hat wet.]
Beggar [slips him a gold piece]. Waiter, call a taxicab.
[The Waiter takes the coin with a respectful bow, blows his taxi whistle. As the answering whistle of the taxicab and the honk of the horn are heard the Beggar and Cocotte exit ceremoniously and the curtain falls.
[Curtain.]
THE TENOR
A Comedy
By Frank Wedekind
Translated by André Tridon.
Copyright, 1913, by André Tridon.
All rights reserved.
CHARACTERS
Gerardo [Wagnerian tenor, thirty-six years old]. Helen Marova [a beautiful dark-haired woman of twenty-five]. Professor Duhring [sixty, the typical "misunderstood genius"]. Miss Isabel Cœhurne [a blonde English girl of sixteen]. Muller [hotel manager]. A Valet. A Bell Boy. An Unknown Woman.
Time: The present.
Place: A city in Austria.
The Tenor was first produced in America by the Washington Square Players. Applications for permission to perform The Tenor must be addressed to André Tridon, 121 Madison Avenue, New York.
THE TENOR
A Comedy
By
