h title be not lost, for
the best of men may become an outcast, but the baseness of the
Pariah is not supposed to spring only from lack of social
position.

PARIAH
AN ACT
1889

PERSONS

MR. X., an archaeologist, Middle-aged man.
MR. Y., an American traveller, Middle-aged man.

SCENE

(A simply furnished room in a farmhouse. The door and the windows
in the background open on a landscape. In the middle of the room
stands a big dining-table, covered at one end by books, writing
materials, and antiquities; at the other end, by a microscope,
insect cases, and specimen jars full of alchohol.)

(On the left side hangs a bookshelf. Otherwise the furniture is
that of a well-to-do farmer.)

(MR. Y. enters in his shirt-sleeves, carrying a butterfly-net and
a botany-can. He goes straight up to the bookshelf and takes down
a book, which he begins to read on the spot.)

(The landscape outside and the room itself are steeped in
sunlight. The ringing of church bells indicates that the morning
services are just over. Now and then the cackling of hens is heard
from the outside.)

(MR. X. enters, also in his shirt-sleeves.)

(MR. Y. starts violently, puts the book back on the shelf
upside-down, and pretends to be looking for another volume.)

MR. X. This heat is horrible. I guess we are going to have a
thunderstorm.

MR. Y. What makes you think so?

MR. X. The bells have a kind of dry ring to them, the flies are
sticky, and the hens cackle. I meant to go fishing, but I couldn't
find any worms. Don't you feel nervous?

MR. Y. [Cautiously] I?--A little.

MR. X. Well, for that matter, you always look as if you were
expecting thunderstorms.

MR. Y. [With a start] Do I?

MR. X. Now, you are going away tomorrow, of course, so it is not
to be wondered at that you are a little "journey-proud."--
Anything new?--Oh, there's the mail! [Picks up some letters from
the table] My, I have palpitation of the heart every time I open a
letter! Nothing but debts, debts, debts! Have you ever had any
debts?

MR. Y. [After some reflection] N-no.

MR. X. Well, then you don't know what it means to receive a lot of
overdue bills. [Reads one of the letters] The rent unpaid--the
landlord acting nasty--my wife in despair. And here am I sitting
waist-high in gold! [He opens an iron-banded box that stands on
the table; then both sit down at the table, facing each other]
Just look--here I have six thousand crowns' worth of gold wh