And we can't do nothin' for it. The whole
stove's goin' to pieces. We must let it fall, and swallow the soot. We're
coughin' already, one worse than the other. We may cough till we choke,
or till we cough our lungs up--nobody cares.
JAEGER
But this here is Ansorge's business; he must see to the stove.
BERTHA
He'll see us out o' the house first; he has plenty against us without
that.
MOTHER BAUMERT
We've only been in his way this long time past.
OLD BAUMERT
One word of a complaint an' out we go. He's had no rent from us this last
half-year.
MOTHER BAUMERT
A well-off man like him needn't be so hard.
OLD BAUMERT
He's no better off than we is, mother. He's hard put to it too, for all
he holds his tongue about it.
MOTHER BAUMERT
He's got his house.
OLD BAUMERT
What are you talkin' about, mother? Not one stone in the wall is the
man's own.
JAEGER
[_Has seated himself, and taken a short pipe with gay tassels out of one
coat-pocket, and a quart bottle of brandy out of another._] Things can't
go on like this. I'm dumfoundered when I see the life the people live
here. The very dogs in the towns live better.
OLD BAUMERT
[_Eagerly.
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