ious hall. At every passing and
repassing great shadows flit back and forth.

AUNT CLARA stands on a chair under the chandelier and slowly revolves
it, scrutinizing it, and causing the glass prisms to tinkle.

INSPECTOR ZINDEL in a fur coat and cap stands at the door on the right
and is about to go out.

AUNT CLARA (with a heavy gray cloth wrapped about her head, speaks down
from the chair). Yes, just go and see, Zindel, whether they are coming;
see whether you can hear anything.

INSPECTOR ZINDEL. Just so, Miss. I shall be back right off. (He opens
the door and runs into LENE, who is about to enter with a tray full of
dishes for the morning coffee.) Whoa! Look out! Don't knock anything
over! (Partly to himself.) Or the old man will play us the trick and
wake up again. (He goes out, and closes the door behind him.)

AUNT CLARA (speaking down from the chair). Is it you, Lene?

LENE (has come forward with the dishes, shrinks so that the tray and
dishes clatter). Heavens and all the saints! Why, I didn't see you at
all, Miss! Why, I was so frightened! (She draws several deep breaths,
places the tray beside the candle on the white cloth of the sofa table,
and begins to arrange the cups.)

AUNT CLARA (as before). Why in the world are you frightened? You see,
don't you, that I am attending to the chandelier, am doing your work
again?

LENE (busy at the table). Expect a person not to get scared, when all
of a sudden a voice like that comes out of the dark, when, on top of it
all, a dead man's in the house. As a rule I'm not afraid, but I won't
dare to go to the back part of the house alone any more, it's just as
if Mr. Warkentin would turn up right before you.

AUNT CLARA. Stuff and nonsense, I suppose you kept the candle burning
the whole night in your room again? I am likely to come and get your
candle one of these days.

LENE. Why Miss Clara is afeared herself. She won't go a step without a
light. Ain't it true, Miss Clara, you're a little afeared too. You only
won't let on.

AUNT CLARA. I shall afear your back before long! I have closed the eyes
of many in my day. That's nothing new to me.

LENE (interested). But all of a sudden, like Mr. Warkentin?

AUNT CLARA. When they get to be about seventy, one knows how it goes,
old widower Fritz in Kobieken went that way too. Fell over and was
gone, it's the best kind of a death. That comes just as it comes....
Have you arranged the cups?

LENE. Everything in orde