XLVI
After a moment: A tone.
XLVII
When it becomes bright, even more quickly than before, another Kaspar is standing at the side ofthe stage while Kaspar l is standing by the table. He is holding a thick roll of paper which is held together by a rubber band. Slowly but surely he forces the rubber band off the roll. The band snaps off, a tone is heard. At once the stage darkens.
XLVIII
After a moment: A view.
XLIX
The audience hears a noise while the stage is still dark. When it becomes bright, Kaspar 1 is again alone on the stage, sitting by the table with the plastic fruit on it. He is holding a partially peeled apple in his hand. He continues peeling, the peel growing longer and longer, and stops peeling shortly before the apple has been completely peeled. He places the apple on top of the decorative fruit. The peel hangs way down. The stage darkens.
L
The prompters remain silent.
LI
It becomes bright. Kaspar is standing in the center of the stage, between the table and the closet. With one hand he is forcibly opening the other hand, which is a fist, finger by finger. The fist resists more and more tenaciously. Finally he wrenches open the hand. It is empty. The stage darkens.
LII
It quickly becomes bright. Another Kaspar is sitting on the sofa. Kaspar sees the other Kaspar. The stage darkens.
LIII
It becomes bright even more quickly. Kaspar is again alone on the stage, standing in front of the closet, his face to the audience. The stage darkens.
LIV
It becomes bright more quickly still. Kaspar looks down at himself. The stage darkens.
LV
Kaspar tries to catch himself. First he runs in a wide circle across the stage, then in smaller circles, spiraling in on himself until he turns on the same spot. He reaches for himself but, because he is standing on one spot, only seizes himself with his own arms … whereupon he becomes still and the stage darkens.
LVI
It becomes bright more quickly still. Kaspar is standing in front of the closet, his back to the audience. It darkens.
LVII
It becomes bright. Kaspar is in the process of closing the closet doors. He presses on them for some time. He steps back. The doors stay shut. The stage darkens.
LVIII
It becomes bright. It is very bright. Kaspar leans back against the closet. The stage looks harmonious. A chord. A spotlight is trained on Kaspar. He assumes various poses. He continues to alter the position of his arms and legs. Say, his arms are akimbo, he shoves one leg forward, lets his arms drop, crosses his legs, puts his hands in his pockets, first in his pants pockets, then in his jacket pockets, stands there with his legs apart, finally crosses his hands over his stomach, puts his feet close together, finally his arms are akimbo again. His legs are still close together. He begins to speak:
I am healthy and strong. I am honest and frugal. I am conscientious. I am industrious, reticent and modest. I am always friendly. I make no great demands. My ways are winning and natural. Everyone likes me. I can deal with everything. I am here for everyone. My love of order and cleanliness has never given reason for complaint. My knowledge is above average. Everything I am asked to do, I do perfectly. Anyone can provide the desired information about me. I am peace-loving and have an untarnished record. I am not one of those who start a big hue and cry over every little thing. I am calm, dutiful, and receptive. I can become enthusiastic about every worthy cause. I would like to get ahead. I would like to learn. I would like to be useful. I have a concept of length, height, and breadth. I know what matters. I treat objects with feeling. I have already become used to everything. I am better. I am well. I am ready to die. My head feels light. I can finally be left alone. I would like to put my best foot forward. I don’t accuse anyone. I laugh a lot. I can make head and tails of everything. I have no unusual characteristics. I don’t show my upper gums when I laugh. I have no scar under the right eye and no birthmark under the left ear. I am no public menace. I would like to be a member. I would like to cooperate. I am proud of what has been achieved so far. I am taken care of for the moment. I am prepared to be interrogated. A new part of my life lies ahead of me. That is my right hand, that is my left hand. If worst comes to worst, I can hide under the furniture. It was always my wish to be with it.
He pulls away from the closet, takes two or three steps, the closet stays shut:
At one time I may have felt as though I didn’t even exist; now I feel as though I exist too much, and the objects, of which there were too many at one time, now have become almost too few for me.
In the meantime he has walked farther forward. The closet stays shut:
Once plagued by sentences
I now can’t have enough of sentences.
Once haunted by words
I now play with every single letter.
He remains standing in the same spot:
At one time I only spoke when asked,
now I speak of my own accord, but now
I can wait to speak until I am asked.
He takes one or two steps more:
Earlier on, each rational sentence was a burden to me
and I detested each rational order
but from now on
I will be rational.
He either does or does not take a step:
Earlier, I threw down one chair, then a second, and then a third:
now, with the introduction of order, my habits are changing.
He takes roughly one step:
I am quiet
now I do not want
to be someone else any more
nothing incites me
against myself any more.
Every object
has become
accessible
to me
and I
am receptive
to each object.
Now I know what I want:
I want
to be
quiet
and every object
that I find sinister
I designate as mine
so that it stops
being sinister to me.
He walks off to the side of the stage but returns after several steps, as though he still had something more to say. He says nothing. He leaves again, taking more steps than the last time, but again steps halfway back onto the stage, as though he had something left to say. He says nothing. He almost leaves, but takes one or two steps back, again as though he had something left to say. He says nothing. Then he departs rapidly. On the now uninhabited stage the closet doors gradually open. When the wide-open closet doors have come to a complete rest, the stage darkens at a stroke, at the same time the auditorium becomes bright. It is intermission. The auditorium doors are opened.