Free The Ride Across Lake Constance and Other Plays by Peter Handke Page B

between .
    The audience now looks up to BERGNER. She stands there with lowered eyelids. GEORGE and JANNINGS tiptoe quickly to the stairs and, each holding a finger to the other’s mouth, lie down parallel to the lowest step, one on his back, the other on his stomach . BERGNER comes down the stairs and steps over stomach and back on the floor. She is already on her way to the table. As GEORGE and JANNINGS get up and wipe the dust off each other’s clothes, she has already settled in the easy chair, taken the cozy off the teapot, poured tea for herself, and, without looking up, brought the cup to her lips—as if she had done all that in one single movement.
    GEORGE and JANNINGS Walk black to the table, confused. )
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    GEORGE
    Once more: I offer you my fauteuil. (BERGNER makes no reply .) May I offer you my fauteuil?
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    BERGNER
    ( As if asleep ) On the streets the insurmountable filth, the frost, the snowstorms, the immense distances …
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    JANNINGS
    What did she say?
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    GEORGE
    Nothing. She is dreaming. ( To BERGNER, as to someone who is talking in his sleep ) Who are you?

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    BERGNER
    I only walked into the parlor to turn off the light and have been lost without a trace ever since.
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    GEORGE
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    Who?
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    BERGNER
    Watch out! the candlestick is falling! (JANNINGS and GEORGE turn around, but the candlestick stands motionless on the table. BERGNER quickly opens her eyes; screams at once ) Who are you? What do you want? Where am I? ( During these questions she has quieted down again and finished them only for form’s sake. She gets up and sits down in one of the free fauteuils, but leaps up again at once .) It’s still warm! ( She tries the second fauteuil and gets up again at once .) How dare you offer me a chair that is still warm?
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    JANNINGS
    I?
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    BERGNER
    No, he. ( She points at GEORGE.)
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    PORTEN
    ( Sitting quietly in the rear on the sofa, has opened her eyes .) What snowstorms?
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    (VON STROHEIM stops blinking his eyes and follows the conversation. )
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    BERGNER
    ( To GEORGE) Why don’t you answer? ( To JANNINGS) He doesn’t answer? (JANNINGS stammers .) Think before you speak!
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    ( Pause. )

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    JANNINGS
    ( Fluently ) Perhaps he felt you didn’t expect an answer to your question.
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    BERGNER
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    Can’t he answer for himself?
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    JANNINGS
    I speak for him.
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    BERGNER
    Are you more powerful than he is?
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    JANNINGS
    Why? I mean, why do you ask?
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    BERGNER
    Because you speak for him. (JANNINGS is taken aback. He looks at GEORGE, who returns the glance. JANNINGS stammers. Pause . BERGNER quickly ) Does he please you? (JANNINGS nods absentmindedly. ) Naturally, as your friend he can’t help but please you.
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    JANNINGS
    More powerful? Yes … Yes, why not? ( To GEORGE) Right? I speak for you, therefore you have to listen to what I say! (GEORGE nods playfully. ) You’re not my friend! If someone has something to say here, it’s me! ( Pause . JANNINGS and GEORGE begin to play . JANNINGS drops into the fauteuil and stretches out his feet. ) The boots! (GEORGE quickly steps up to him, gets down on one knee, and puts on JANNINGS’S boots.) The tea! (GEORGE quickly pours into a cup; hands him the cup.) The sugar! (GEORGE offers him the sugar bowl. JANNINGS takes a piece with the sugar tongs and lets it drop elegantly into the cup.) A spoon! (GEORGE hands him a spoon. Both grin, are close to giggling. JANNINGS stirs once
snappily with the spoon .) The newspaper! (GEORGE is already by the newspaper table and back .) My glasses!
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    GEORGE
    ( Blurts out ) But you don’t wear glasses!
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    JANNINGS
    ( Snorts .) The mustard! The hairbrush! The … (He hesitates.)
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    GEORGE
    ( Assists him .) The photo album! The pincers!
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    JANNINGS
    ( With a surgeon’s gesture ) The scalpel! The scissors!
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    GEORGE
    A permanent—and make it snappy!
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    JANNINGS
    ( Reaching blindly behind