Langheinrich monologue (Act 1) — The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann, Volume I

[_Eagerly._] An' he's got me to thank for it. Only thing is, I pretty near got into a dam' mess myself that time. You see, I'm captain of the hook an' ladder. Well, I says to my boys, says I:--I don't know but I must ha' had more'n I could carry. The whole crowd was pretty well full!--Well, I says to my boys: Sail right in an' see that there ain't a stone left standin', 'cause if there is, Grabow'll get one reduction of insurance after another an' then the whole thing ain't no good to him. I guess I hollered that out a bit too loud. So when I takes a step or two backward I thinks all hell's broke loose, 'cause there stands Constable Schulze an' stares at me. Your health, says I, your health, captain!--Grabow, you know, was treatin' to beer!--An' then Schulze was real sociable and took a drink with me.