Brecht Collected Plays: 1: Baal; Drums in the Night; In the Jungle of Cities; Life of Edward II of England; & 5 One Act Plays: "Baal", "Drums in the Night", "In the Jungle of Ci (World Classics) (45 page)

PADUK
: My life is an open book. I am a man who likes things tidy. A self-made man. My father was a small shopkeeper
ruined by drink. My mother was always ailing. My early years were marked by poverty, deprivation, and humiliation.

REPORTER
: So you acquired your profound understanding of social injustice quite young?

PADUK
: Precisely.

REPORTER
: And realized that prostitution lay at the root of it all?

PADUK
: That’s right!

REPORTER
: And accordingly selected this alley for your mission?

PADUK
: Of course. The enemy has to be fought on the spot. The frequenters of these dens of vice must be confronted right here with the consequences of their iniquity. I shall not rest until the last of these unfortunates turns his back on those breeding places of misery.

REPORTER
: It’s a pleasure to listen to you. Are you open only at night?

PADUK
: Yes, sir. For just that reason.

REPORTER
: But it means sacrificing your nights?

PADUK
: I’m used to that.

REPORTER
: May I ask what has led you to choose such a highly ingenious form of attack upon this social evil? It strikes me that only fanatical hatred could hit upon a scheme of such ingenuity.

PADUK
: What do you mean?

REPORTER
: Was it something you’d read somewhere; did you have a model and if so, what? Or was it a personal experience, some kind of revelation?

PADUK
: Let’s say it was a revelation.

REPORTER
: Like what?

PADUK
: I saw people deprived of their money so that they could be deprived of their health as well. How much better, I thought, if in exchange for that money they at least got a chance to keep their health.

REPORTER
: So it was primarily for financial reasons …

PADUK
taken aback
: Good God, no. What gave you that idea?

It was for purely moral reasons. I thought ignorance of danger drives these souls to their destruction. One must show them what these dens of vice do to them. Then the stews will go bankrupt, and the customers be saved.

REPORTER
: But you charge admission. For educational reasons?

PADUK
: Yes. What people don’t have to pay for they don’t appreciate. I charge them two marks fifty for syphilis. Over there they have to pay at least five marks, wine not included.

REPORTER
titters
: But at least they get the real thing.

PADUK
: This is no laughing matter, sir.

REPORTER
: I’m sorry. And what has been the effect of your lectures?

PADUK
: Sold out every night.

REPORTER
: I mean on your audience.

PADUK
: The best that could be imagined. Fainting and vomiting.

REPORTER
: That’s splendid.

PADUK
: And what’s more: those brothels over there are empty now. To let.

REPORTER
: How do you know?

PADUK
: Under my floodlight here no visitor remains unnoticed. Do you notice any now? And you can tell by the piano if there’s anyone inside to be led astray.

REPORTER
: Excellent way to check on your success! Positively ingenious. It can’t have been easy to organize all this.

PADUK
: It’s always hard to break new ground. The municipal authorities were against it, naturally. Particularly because of the late hour.

REPORTER
: But in the end they put the site at your disposal?

PADUK
: They did.

REPORTER
: And the whole thing was financed by anonymous private benefactors?

PADUK
: It was. But the lecture’s just finished now.

REPORTER
: I have enough for my editor. Thank you very
much. It will all appear in the newspapers. I love the newspapers!

PADUK
: A pleasure. Would you like to attend the next lecture?

REPORTER
: No, thanks. I don’t care for that sort of thing.

PADUK
: But perhaps you’ll wait a few moments before the next performance starts? I’m giving a brief address.

REPORTER
: Thank you very much. That I’ll do. You’re such a good speaker.

3

People come out and disperse
.

PEOPLE
: I feel quite sick. – I’ve thrown up. Thank God they’ve provided buckets. – That feeling of disgust afterwards, it’s just like coming out of a brothel oneself.

A MAN
waiting to go in
: Is it worth it?

A MAN WHO HAS JUST COME OUT
: Absolutely. Specially the syphilis section. Some beautiful things there.

A CHAPLAIN
to Paduk
: Allow me. My name’s Benkler. Chaplain. President of the Christian Catholic Young Workers’ Association. We were thinking of visiting your exhibition.

PADUK
: It’s open to everyone.

CHAPLAIN
with Young Workers lining up behind him
: May I ask if there are any reductions?

PADUK
: No. Not as a rule. But you’re from the official Young Workers’ Association?

CHAPLAIN
: We are.

PADUK
: Catholic?

CHAPLAIN
: Christian Catholic.

PADUK
: Then we’ll make an exception. How many gentlemen are there?

CHAPLAIN
: Unfortunately only half of them. Seventy-three.

PADUK
: Then you can book the whole lecture. That will be one hundred marks the lot.

CHAPLAIN
: And would that cover all sections?

PADUK
: Yes. Gonorrhoea, chancre,
and
syphilis.

CHAPLAIN
: Here you are. One hundred marks.

PADUK
: But mind you, no singing.

CHAPLAIN
: Of course not.

PADUK
waggish
: Can’t disturb people’s sleep.

CHAPLAIN
: Sleep? Nobody’s living here.

PADUK
: How about there, across the street?
They
sleep all night now I’m here.

CHAPLAIN
: Oh yes, I see, that’s splendid. No, we won’t sing.

PADUK
: Please recommend me to your friends.
Leads the Young Workers’ Association into the tent. Re-emerges
. Ladies and gentlemen, kindly be patient for another quarter of an hour. I can assure you it won’t take longer this time.
To the reporter
: Perhaps you’ll look in tomorrow night?

REPORTER
: I will. Thank you.
Exit
.

PADUK
alone
: How quiet it is now. After midnight there’ll be no customers. It’s hell having to stay up after that. But it’s the light …
Looks up
. The light is beautiful.
Goes to the picket fence
. Silence. Bankruptcy. A dry river bed. The water’s gone. How quiet they are! I wonder when they will be able to get that piano going again.

4

Frau Hogge appears on the right, in the red doorway
.

FRAU HOGGE
: Paduk!

PADUK
: Eh?

FRAU HOGGE
emerges into the alley
: Have you a moment?

PADUK
: By all means. The lecture’s on.

FRAU HOGGE
: Business booming?

PADUK
: Sold out.

FRAU HOGGE
: Paduk …

PADUK
: Mister Paduk to you.

FRAU HOGGE
: Beg your pardon. Mr Paduk. I merely thought you’re an old friend.

PADUK
mumbles
: Not to my knowledge.

FRAU HOGGE
: Old customer, then.

PADUK
glances around
: What do you want now? Haven’t you got anything to do?

FRAU HOGGE
: We’re spring-cleaning. I want to apologize because of that misunderstanding the other day.

PADUK
aloof
: Oh, don’t bother.

FRAU HOGGE
: Because of the way you were treated!

PADUK
: I’m overwhelmed.

FRAU HOGGE
: We were so busy, and you know how it is …

PADUK
: You’re still busy?

FRAU HOGGE
: Now you’re being sarcastic again!

PADUK
: I thought I was doing you a favour, reducing your business a little so that you can treat your customers better.

FRAU HOGGE
: But you didn’t have any cash on you.

PADUK
: That’s right. And that’s why I thought I’d better earn some.

FRAU HOGGE
: But it’s
our
money you’re earning!

PADUK
: But
decently
, mind you.

FRAU HOGGE
: What d’you mean, decently? You’re taking the bread out of our mouths.

PADUK
: You’ve got wine, and you’ve got it all to yourself now.

FRAU HOGGE
: And my poor girls, what of them?

PADUK
: They’re only poor because they’re your girls.

FRAU HOGGE
: You’re making things very difficult for an old woman like me. Listen: I’m sorry you were thrown out of our house like that.

PADUK
: I was sorry too. But unlike you, I did something about it.

FRAU HOGGE
: You were one of our best customers.

PADUK
: And yet you threw me out because I was temporarily embarrassed.

FRAU HOGGE
: Now tell me frankly, what’s all this nonsense? Why are you exhibiting these disgusting things to people? As if you could change the world.

PADUK
: You know very well that
that’s
not the point. I simply figured on a way to bring some
light
into this alley.

To illuminate your disgusting trade!

FRAU HOGGE
: So it was out of spite? All you wanted was to fix an electric floodlight –
looks up
– somewhere? And that’s why you staged this farce? All those petitions? The benefactors? Your hestablishment? Just for the floodlight?

PADUK
: I couldn’t very well stand here all by myself and hold it in my hand like a lamp-post. I couldn’t afford that. You yourself said one can’t do anything without money.

FRAU HOGGE
: What a miserable specimen you are!

PADUK
: You overestimate me. It just happened to be a good idea that turned into a blessing for thousands.

FRAU HOGGE
: Yes. We all know
you
.

PADUK
: Right. I did draw attention to myself.

FRAU HOGGE
: Maltreating my girls so that they come running to me. Howling, half naked. Refusing to pay, kicking up a row, yourself the worst of the lot, a miserable scoundrel we had to throw out –
we
had to throw out!

PADUK
: And risen from the dead. On the third day resurrected and ascended to Heaven! Creator of a welfare institution! Champion of public morality! Capitalist!

FRAU HOGGE
: Bastard! Pig! Degenerate!
Exit into brothel
.

5

PADUK
returning to the table
: Baggage. Common, uneducated lot! And all of it just because the Young Workers’ Association is honouring
me
with a visit! Envy, that’s the trouble.

A MAN
on the left, one of those waiting in the queue
: What’s all the fuss with that woman?

PADUK
: May I ask what business of yours that is?

THE MAN
: I’m a public servant. That’s why it’s my business.

PADUK
: Common slander, that’s all it is. Slander to which we pioneers of decency have always been exposed.

THE MAN
: I’ll get someone to look into it tomorrow. This thing’s been built with outside money!
Exit unceremoniously
.

PADUK
stares after him
: Damn. Those fellows have long ears! This could be awkward … But I’ve got the gift of the gab, as that idiot said, and tomorrow my life story will be in the papers. Full of touching details. Hm. Still, it might do no harm to dispel lingering doubts about my high moral purpose!

6

Another performance has ended. The Young Workers’ Association comes trooping out
.

PADUK
to the chaplain
: How did you like it?

CHAPLAIN
: Very much.
Pause
. But it’s really hell on earth, isn’t it?

PADUK
: Isn’t it? Absolute hell. And all because of prostitution! Padre, if you will permit I’d like to talk to you for a moment. Get it off my chest. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, you know …
He goes into the tent and reappears with the assistant who is carrying specimen jars which he deposits on the table. Young Workers hover uncertainly. They are joined by members of the queue. During the first sentences of Paduk’s address the alley comes to life. From the brothels issue the girls, singly or in groups of two or three, dressed in sombre street clothes. Some tiptoe towards the fence, others saunter across the alley, giggling noisily. But in the end they all stand gazing silently over the fence
.

PADUK
: My dear young friends! You have been shown the dread effects of vice, the horrible diseases that result from prostitution. It is no accident that this hestablishment destined to serve a high moral purpose is situated at this particular spot. It is an act of protest.
He notices the girls
beyond the fence, climbs on the table, a specimen jar in each hand
. My dear young friends! I’m not attacking the poor unfortunates who dwell in these places, I’m attacking the places themselves, I’m attacking their very spirit! I don’t condemn the unfortunate young women compelled like slaves to sell their bodies that were once the work of God – without even being allowed to keep the money.
He turns to the girls
. Only a brute would turn against them. They are the victims. Their lot is more pitiful than that of carthorses, more harrowing than that of convicts, more terrible than that of the mortally sick. They feel their immortal soul decaying, their body rotting away, they have to comply with the wishes of dirty rotters and degenerate scoundrels, must serve men’s bestial lusts and let themselves be infected with incurable diseases.
Holding specimen jar aloft in his left hand
. Look at these lips, these rotting gums – once they sang the Lord’s praises in church as loudly as yours did. This ravaged head, like yours it was once caressed by a loving mother’s hand. Above this breast –
he stoops to pick up a wax model
– now pitted by pus, hung a little golden crucifix, just as above yours. These eyes, or what’s left of them –
he stoops and picks up another wax model
– bleary, rotting in their sockets; they gladdened a parent’s heart when they first opened, just like yours! Don’t ever forget that! Don’t forget it when temptations whisper and the devil beckons. Perhaps there is still time, perhaps you will be spared, perhaps it is not too late. Be grateful for your chance of salvation. Don’t pile new wrongs on to the old!
He steps off the table
.