Page:Poet Lore, volume 25, 1914.djvu/580

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546
JAROSLAV VRCHLICKY

into the frame work of the entire picture and not mar its effect.

THE WITNESS[1]

Dramatis Personae

Iustus Korber, J. D. (fifty-five years of age), a lawyer.[2]

Theresa, his wife (thirty-three years of age).

Gustav Cernick, J. D. (thirty-five years of age), a lawyer, Korber’s associate.

Joseph Valenta (about sixty years of age).

Mary, a servant.

A Plainclothes Policeman.

The dining-room in Korber’s apartment. The servant is clearing the table at which Korber, buried in a newspaper, is sitting. Theresa is taking things down from a buffet. The appearance of the room indicates that the family is about to remove. Most of the pictures are on the floor and are set back against the walls. Near the hearth is a barrel, and a trunk on the left; near the window is a lady’s writing table. Atop of it are hat boxes, toilet articles and similar trifles. As the curtain rises, the servant, having placed the dishes on a tray, is taking them out into the kitchen on the right.

Theresa.—You’ll have to excuse that poor lunch, dear the moving upsets everything.

Iustus.—Oh! don’t mention it.

Theresa.—And are you not vexed?

Iustus.—Not about the luncheon; there are plenty of other things.

Theresa (going over to him). — Poor boy, you are worried.

Iustus.—Some things just do not succeed, and in others people take advantage of you.

  1. All rights reserved. Copyright 1914, by Charles Recht.
  2. In Austria all lawyers have J. U. D. degrees, and are called doctors.