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

they’re your rings? ( Suddenly JANNINGS pulls the rings from his fingers. GEORGE understands, bends forward, spreading his fingers apart. JANNINGS places the rings on the table. GEORGE slips them easily and as though routinely, almost without looking, on his fingers. He regards his hand .) As if they were made for me! ( Pause .) As if they had always belonged to me! ( Pause .) They were made for me! ( Pause .) And they have always belonged to me! ( He holds the rings up to the light so that they sparkle. He caresses them and touches each individually with his lips. He plays: points with the ringless hand at something, then points with the ringed hand at the same thing; places the ringless hand on his heart, then places the ringed hand on it; waves someone toward him with a ringless finger, then with a ringed one; threatens someone with a naked finger, then with a ringed one. He is intoxicated by the idea of ownership .) I can’t even imagine my hand without rings any more! I can’t it me—I can’t myself—me myself —myself me—I can’t myself me—I simply can’t imagine myself without rings any more! Can you imagine me without
rings? (JANNINGS makes no reply . GEORGE sets out to make a speech .) Expensive rings! Just as you, who are round, know no beginning and no end, in the same way—( He hesitates and begins once more .) And just as you transform the light that strikes you and are changed yourselves by the light, in the same way—( He hesitates. Pause .) In any cause—you elicit similes from me. Since I own you, you mean something to me. ( Pause .) To wear rings on every finger—what does that mean? Wealth? Early death? To take care while climbing ladders? Job problems? Watch out, danger!?
    Â 
    ( Pause .)
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    I’ve never dreamed of rings so far.
    GEORGE
    Because you never owned any.
    Â 
    ( Pause .)
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    JANNINGS
    On the contrary, because I owned some. ( Pause .) And they never elicit similes from me.
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    GEORGE
    Because they weren’t enough for you.
    Â 
    ( Pause .)
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    JANNINGS
    On the contrary, because they were enough for me.
    Â 
    ( Pause .)
    Â 
    GEORGE
    Just as …

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    JANNINGS
    What do you mean, “Just—as”?
    Â 
    GEORGE
    Bide your time! ( He begins once more .) Just as there are born losers, born troublemakers, and born criminals …
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    Who says they exist?
    Â 
    GEORGE
    I do!
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    JANNINGS
    That doesn’t prove anything.
    Â 
    ( Pause .)
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    GEORGE
    Have you ever heard people talk about a “born loser”?
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    Frequently.
    Â 
    GEORGE
    And have you ever heard the expression “born troublemaker”?
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    JANNINGS
    Indeed.
    Â 
    GEORGE
    Â 
    And the expression “born criminal”?
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    Of course.

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    GEORGE
    But the expression “a scurrying snake”—that you have heard quite frequently?
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    JANNINGS
    No, never.
    Â 
    GEORGE
    And have you ever heard of a “fiery Eskimo”?
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    Not that I know.
    Â 
    GEORGE
    Â 
    If you don’t know it, then you haven’t heard of it either. But the expression “a flying ship”—that you have heard?
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    At most in a fairy tale.
    Â 
    GEORGE
    But scurrying snakes exist?
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    Of course not.
    Â 
    GEORGE
    But fiery Eskimos—they exist?
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    I can’t imagine it.
    Â 
    GEORGE
    But flying ships exist?

    Â 
    JANNINGS
    At most in a dream.
    Â 
    GEORGE
    Not in reality?
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    Not in reality.
    Â 
    ( Pause .)
    Â 
    GEORGE
    But born losers?
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    Consequently, they do exist.
    Â 
    GEORGE
    And born troublemakers?
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    They exist.
    Â 
    GEORGE
    And therefore there are born criminals?
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    It’s only logical.
    Â 
    GEORGE
    As I wanted to say at the time …
    Â 
    JANNINGS
    ( Interrupts him .) “At the time”? Has it been that long