and pretend not to be listening; the
people are interested and drop pennies into the old woman's bank. The
women are moved to tears and wipe their eyes now and then.]

RELATIVE. [To shoemaker.] Have you many orders now-a-days?

SHOEMAKER. Oh, so-so--

OLD WOMAN. Give the old blind woman a coin?

CHIROPODIST. Begging is prohibited, don't you know that?

ONE OF THE PEOPLE. She's not begging; she asks remuneration.

SHOEMAKER. What kind of rot is he talking?

ONE OF THE PEOPLE. The Schulze Society is paid to sing for the statue
yonder, but the men pocket the coins and stay away. This morning only
three were there.

SHOEMAKER. [To his guests.] Think, they know all that goes on, the
villains!

OLD WOMAN. Give the blind old woman a coin!

RELATIVE. One must pay, to boot, for her croaking?

ONE OF THE PEOPLE. She sings better than the shoemaker sang this
morning, when we stood round the corner listening to him. He certainly
does not sing ideally about carnations and roses, but a true word spoken
at the right moment is also ideal!

RELATIVE. If you don't go, old hag, you'll be locked up!

[Thunder and lightning, wind, rain, commotion.]

SHOEMAKER. Egad! it's raining again. Step inside, gentlemen. [They break
up.]

OLD WOMAN. Must that poor wretch in the pillory stand out in the rain?

RELATIVE. If my kinsman, who is so great a personage, can stand outside,
then that fellow may as well stay where he is.

SHOEMAKER. It cools these reformers off so nicely to get a little cold
water over them. [Trips, stubs toe against a stone.] The damned
cobble stones! [Hops into house on one leg. Exit all but Pehr and Old
Woman--Lisa.]

LISA. [Throws off disguise.] Well, Pehr! You have become a famous man;
your name is now on every one's lips, your picture is being carried
round on all streets and public squares and the people hail you as a
reformer. Are you satisfied?

PEHR. Yes, Lisa, now I am satisfied with being a reformer!

LISA. Shall you leave your work half-done?

PEHR. Yes, Lord save us! If only I can escape with my skin.

LISA. You sought glory and renown--

PEHR. But all do that!

LISA. Not all. But you had the approval of the people.

PEHR. The people! They have nothing to say.

LISA. So it was the approval of the great that you wanted. Then stand
there and be ashamed! You did not even believe in the cause for which
you stood.

PEHR. Frankly, I think it a matter of slight consequence whether one
wa