And yet for five years he had to work as a
stucco-worker, and for another five years he had to starve along, so to
speak, on his own hook, and in addition he modelled his little statues.
HOFFMANN
And they were revolting. I want to be cheered by art ... No, that kind of
art wasn't a bit to my taste.
LOTH
Not exactly to mine either. Certain ideas had bitten themselves into his
mind. However, last spring there was a competition for a monument. Some
two-penny princeling was to be immortalised, I believe. Fips competed
and--won. Shortly afterward, he killed himself.
HOFFMANN
I don't see that that throws any ray of light on his so-called
conscientiousness. I call that sort of thing silly and highfalutin.
LOTH
That is the common view.
HOFFMANN
I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid I can't help sharing it.
LOTH
Well, it can make no difference to him now, what....
HOFFMANN
Oh, anyhow, let's drop the subject. At bottom I'm just as sorry for him
as you can be. But now that he is dead, the good fellow, tell me
something of yourself. What have you been doing? How has the world used
you?
LOTH
It has used me as it was my business to expect. Didn't you hear anything
about me at all? From the papers, I mean?
HOFFMANN
[_Somewhat embarrassed.
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