Read Online The Ride Across Lake Constance and Other Plays by Peter Handke - Free Book Online Page A

cigar box. After what has been said just now the hand has the effect of an invitation, so that GEORGE bends down and puts the box in JANNINGS ’ s hand .
    A brief pause, as if JANNINGS had expected something else. Then he takes the box with his other hand and puts it on his knee. He looks at his hand, which is still extended .)
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    JANNINGS
    That’s not what I meant to say with that. It just seemed to me that you had noticed something on my hand. ( He opens the box top with his other hand and offers the box to GEORGE, who looks inside .) Take one.
    Â 
    (GEORGE quickly takes a cigar . JANNINGS takes one too. GEORGE takes the box from JANNINGS and puts it back on the table. Each lights his own cigar. Both lean back and smoke .)
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    GEORGE
    Haven’t you noticed anything?
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    JANNINGS
    Speak. ( Pause .) Please, go ahead and speak.
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    GEORGE
    Didn’t you notice how silly everything suddenly became when we began to talk about kidneys flambé? No, not so much suddenly as gradually, the more often we mentioned the kidneys flambé. Kidneys flambé, kidneys flambé, kidneys flambé! And didn’t it strike you why the kidneys flambé gradually made everything so hair-raisingly silly?
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    ( Pause .)
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    JANNINGS
    Speak.

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    GEORGE
    Because we spoke about something that wasn’t visible at the time. Because we mentioned something that wasn’t there at the time! And do you know how I happened to notice this?
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    ( Pause .)
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    JANNINGS
    Speak.
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    GEORGE
    When you made that motion with your hand two minutes ago—
    JANNINGS
    Â 
    ( Interrupts him .) Two minutes have passed since then?
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    GEORGE
    It may also have been earlier. In any case—what was I about to say?
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    JANNINGS
    When I made that motion with my hand …
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    GEORGE
    When you made that motion with your hand, I suddenly noticed the rings on your fingers and thought to myself: ah, rings! Look at that, rings! Indeed: rings! And then I saw the rings again, and when what I thought and what I saw coincided so magically, I was so happy for a moment that I couldn’t help but put the cigar box in your hand. And only then I noticed how ridiculous I had seemed to myself speaking all that time about kidneys flambé! I wasn’t even myself any more, my hairs rose on end when I spoke about them. And only when I saw the rings and thought: ah, the rings!
and then cast a second glance at the rings, then it seemed to me that I was no longer confused.
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    JANNINGS
    And I felt you were handing me the box voluntarily.
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    GEORGE
    Do you understand me?
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    From a human point of view, yes.
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    GEORGE
    Take a look around. ( They take a look around the room .) Car. ( They hesitate a little, continue looking around the room .) Cattle prod. ( They hesitate, continue looking around the room .) Bloodhounds. ( They look around the room, hesitate .) Swollen bellies. ( Only JANNINGS looks around the room, hesitates. ) Trigger button.
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    JANNINGS
    ( Quickly looks at GEORGE.) You’re right, let’s talk about my rings!
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    GEORGE
    There’s nothing left to say about the rings. (JANNINGS remains silent .) It’s meaningless.
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    JANNINGS
    I?
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    GEORGE
    Your rings.
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    JANNINGS
    And?

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    GEORGE
    ( Irritated ) “And” what?
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    JANNINGS
    ( Irritated ) And? ( Pause. The pause becomes increasingly laden with animosity. Both smoke. When they notice that they are simultaneously drawing on their cigars, they stop and hold their breath. When one of them wants to blow out smoke, he notices that the other is just about to exhale and he hesitates; only then does he emit the smoke from his mouth. JANNINGS suddenly, in a very friendly manner ) And if they were your rings?
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    GEORGE
    Â 
    ( Suddenly looks at him in a very friendly manner .) But they are yours! ( Pause. They hardly move. The pause becomes increasingly laden with animosity .) But