The Little Man by John Galsworthy
page 15 of 35 (42%)
page 15 of 35 (42%)
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irritation. The GERMAN opens his bag, which reposes on the
corner seat next him, and takes out a book.] AMERICAN. The Germans are great readers. Very stimulating practice. I read most anything myself! [The GERMAN holds up the book so that the title may be read.] "Don Quixote"--fine book. We Americans take considerable stock in old man Quixote. Bit of a wild-cat--but we don't laugh at him. GERMAN. He is dead. Dead as a sheep. A good thing, too. AMERICAN. In America we have still quite an amount of chivalry. GERMAN. Chivalry is nothing 'sentimentalisch'. In modern days--no good. A man must push, he must pull. AMERICAN. So you say. But I judge your form of chivalry is sacrifice to the state. We allow more freedom to the individual soul. Where there's something little and weak, we feel it kind of noble to give up to it. That way we feel elevated. [As he speaks there is seen in the corridor doorway the LITTLE MAN, with the WOMAN'S BABY still on his arm and the bundle held in the other hand. He peers in anxiously. The ENGLISH, acutely conscious, try to dissociate themselves from his presence with their papers. The DUTCH YOUTH laughs.] GERMAN. 'Ach'! So! |
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