War Brides: A Play in One Act | Page 5

days of living
together,--I won't call it marriage, for Franz and I are the ones who
know what real marriage is, and how sacred it is,--then what? Before
you know it, an order to march. Amelia left to wait for her child. No
husband to wait with her, to watch over her. Think of her anxiety, if she
learns to love you! What kind of child will it be? Look at me. What
kind of child would I have, do you think? I can hardly breathe for
thinking of my Franz, waiting, never knowing from minute to minute.
From the way I feel, I should think my child would be born mad, I'm

that wild with worrying. And then for Amelia to go through the agony
alone! No husband to help her through the terrible hour. What solace
can the state give then? And after that, if you don't come back, who is
going to earn the bread for her child? Struggle and struggle to feed
herself and her child; and the fine-sounding name you trick us
with--war bride! Humph! that will all be forgotten then. Only one thing
can make it worth while, and do you know what that is? Love. We'll
struggle through fire and water for that; but without it--[Gesture.]
Hoffman: [Drawing Amelia to him.]
Don't listen to her, Amelia.
Amelia: [Pushing Hoffman violently from her, runs from the room.]
No, no, I can't marry you! I won't! I won't!
[She shuts the door in his face.]
Hedwig: [Triumphantly.]
She will never be your war bride, Hans Hoffman!
Hoffman: [Suddenly, angrily.]
By thunder! I've made a discovery. You're the woman! You're the
woman!
Hedwig:
What woman?
Hoffman:
Yesterday there were twenty war brides. The day before there were
nearly thirty. To-day there were only ten. There are rumors--[Excitedly.]
I'll report you. They'll find you guilty. I myself can prove it.
Hedwig:

Well?
Hoffman:
I heard them say at the barracks that some one was talking the women
out of marrying. They didn't know who; but they said if they caught
her--caught any one talking as you have just now, daring to question
the wisdom of the emperor and his generals, the church, too,--she'd be
guilty of treason. You are working against the emperor, against the
fatherland. Here you have done it right before my very eyes; you have
taken Amelia right out of my arms. You're the woman who's been
upsetting the others, and don't you deny it.
Hedwig:
Deny it? I am proud of it.
Hoffman:
Then the place for you is in jail. Do you know what will be the end of
you?
Hedwig: [Suddenly far away.]
Yes, I know, if Franz does not come back. I know; but first
[_Clenching her hands_] I must get my message to the emperor.
Hoffman: [Very angry.]
You will be shot for treason.
Hedwig: [Coming back, laughing slightly.]
Shot? Oh, no, Herr Hans, you'd never shoot me!
Hoffman:
Why not?

Hedwig:
Do I have to tell you, stupid? I am a woman: I can get in the crops; I
can keep the country going while you are away fighting, and, most
important, I might give you a soldier for your next army--for the
kingdom. Don't you see my value? [Laughs strangely.] Oh, no, you'd
never shoot me!
Mother:
There, there, don't excite her, sir.
Hedwig: [Her head in her hands, on the table.]
God! I wish you would shoot me! If you don't give me back my Franz!
I've no mind to bring a son into the world for this bloody thing you call
war.
Hoffman:
I am going straight to headquarters to report you.
[_Starts to go.
Enter Arno excitedly. He is boyish and fair, in his early twenties, and
looks even younger than he really is._]
Arno: [To Hoffman.]
There's an order to march at once--your regiment.
Hoffman:
Now?
Arno:
At once. You are wanted. They told me to tell you.

[Illustration: ARNO: You are wanted.]
[_Hoffman moves with military precision to the door; then turns to
Hedwig._]
Hoffman:
I shall take the time to report you.
[Goes.]
Minna: [To Arno.]
Does Heinrich's regiment go, too?
Arno:
Heinrich who?
Minna:
Heinrich Berg.
Arno:
No. To-morrow.
[_Minna, now thoroughly scared, is slinking to the door when Hedwig
stops her._]
Hedwig:
Ha! little Minna, why do you run so fast? Heinrich does not go until
to-morrow. [Looks at her thoughtfully.] Are you going to be able to
fight it through, little Minna, when the hard days come? If you do give
the empire a soldier, will it be any comfort to know you are helping the
falling birth-rate?
Minna: [Shivering.]

Oh, I am afraid of you!
Hedwig:
Afraid of the truth, you mean. You see it at last in all its brutal bareness.
Poor little Minna! [_She puts her arm around Minna with