a that you are already--

CLARA (_almost crazy, throws herself with uplifted arms at the feet of
her mother, and cries out like a child_).

Mother! Mother!

ANTONY.

Take your mother's hand and swear to me that you are what you should be!

CLARA.

I--swear--that--I--will--never--bring--disgrace-on--you!

ANTONY.

Good!

[_He puts on his hat._]

It is beautiful weather! We will go out and run the gauntlet! Up the
street! Down the street!

[_Exeunt._]

ACT II

_A Room in the Master Joiner's House._

SCENE I

ANTONY (_rises from the table_).

CLARA (_starts to clear off the dishes_).

ANTONY.

Have you lost your appetite again?

CLARA.

Father, I have had enough.

ANTONY.

But you have taken nothing!

CLARA.

I ate out in the kitchen.

ANTONY.

A bad appetite means a guilty conscience. Oh, well, we shall see--or was
there poison in the soup, as I dreamt yesterday? Perhaps some wild
hemlock got in with the other vegetables by mistake, when they were
gathered?--In that case you did well!

CLARA. Great Heavens!

ANTONY.

Forgive me! I--Away with your pale sad look, which you stole from our
Savior's Mother! One should look ruddy when one is young! There is but
one who might show such a face, and he does not do it! Hey! A box on the
ear for every man who says "ouch!" when he cuts his finger! No man has
any right to do that now, for here stands a man who--ugh!--self-praise
stinks!--But what did I do when our neighbor started to nail down the
cover of your mother's coffin?

CLARA.

You wrenched the hammer away from him and did it yourself, and said:
"This is my masterpiece!" The preceptor, who was just then leading the
choir boys in the dirge over by the door, thought you had gone crazy.

ANTONY.

Crazy?

[_Laughs._]

Crazy. Yes, yes, it is a wise head that cuts itself off at the right
time. Mine must be too firmly fastened on, or else--We squat down in the
world and imagine ourselves sitting behind the stove in a good inn.
Suddenly a light is placed on the table and, behold! we find ourselves
sitting in a den of thieves! There is a bing! bang! on all sides, but no
harm it done--fortunately we have hearts of stone!

CLARA.

Yes, father, so it is.

ANTONY.

What do you know about it? Do you think you have a right to curse with
me because your clerk has deserted you? There will be another to take
you walking Suliday afternoons, another to tell you that your cheeks