25. Professer Bernhandi
24 PROFESSOR BERNHARDI: A PLAY
of our youth and what became of it after¬
wards.
Flint: Are vou holding that against me?
I know that I fought against your enterprise.
I did not believe in your institution; but that
was my conviction at that time; we all make
mistakes; but there is one thing, I never act
against my convictions—
Bernhardi: Are vou sure of that?
Flint: Bernhardi!!!
Bernhardi: Let me tell you. I am think¬
ing of a case—when you acted directly against
your conviction.
Flint: Now this is too much!
(Walks up and down
Bernhardi: Wait!
the room a few times, and suddenly stands
still.) We were both assistant physicians at
Rappenweiler’s. A young man was a patient
in our clinic. I see him lie before me now; I
even know his name, Engelhart Wagner. Our
chief—we all—had made a false diagnosis of
his case. The autopsy revealed the fact that
another treatment would have saved him. And
as we stood there, when the fact was made
clear, you whispered to me; “I knew it.“ Vou
knew what was the matter with the patient;
you had the correct diagnosis.
Flint: The only one.
Bernhardi: Yes, vou were the only one.
Yet you carefully avoided, while he was alive,
making it known. And why you did it is a
question you may answer yourself. I do not
suppose it was conviction.
Flint: By Jovel you have a good memory.
I remember the case, and I’lI admit that I
box 31/8
PROFESSOR BERNHARDI: A PLAY 25
considered the other treatment the right one;
and I will also admit that Ikept silent besause
I did not want to hurt the chief’s pride by
showing that one of his assistants knew more
about the case than he did. Vou have reason
to reproach me with sacrificing a human life.
understand. What was the one victim com¬
pared to the hundreds of other human lives
which could be entrusted later to my skill?
Bernhardi: And you think that Rappen¬
weiler would have turned against yon?
Flint: That is very probable. You over¬
rate humanity. You do not know how nar¬
row-minded people are. It might have meant
a long delay in my career, and I had to ad¬
vance rapidly to gain the proper sphere of ac¬
tion for my capacities, which even you cannot
deny. Therefore, my dear Bernhardi, I per¬
mitted Engelhart Wagner to die, and I am un¬
able even to regret it. For it does not matter
much, my dear Bernhardi, whether or not you
may act correctly, or even be true to your con¬
victions in some immaterial detail, the thing
is to serve the one main idea of your life with
faithfulness. It is interesting to me that you
bring this poor Engelhart Wagner out of his
oblivion; for suddenly I am able to recognize
the essential differences in our two natures.
You will be astonished, Bernhardi, to learn of
their capacity to supplement each other, as it
were. You, Bernhardi, are probably much
more than I what the world calls “a respect¬
able man.“ But whether you are more capable
than I to do more for the general good seems
24 PROFESSOR BERNHARDI: A PLAY
of our youth and what became of it after¬
wards.
Flint: Are vou holding that against me?
I know that I fought against your enterprise.
I did not believe in your institution; but that
was my conviction at that time; we all make
mistakes; but there is one thing, I never act
against my convictions—
Bernhardi: Are vou sure of that?
Flint: Bernhardi!!!
Bernhardi: Let me tell you. I am think¬
ing of a case—when you acted directly against
your conviction.
Flint: Now this is too much!
(Walks up and down
Bernhardi: Wait!
the room a few times, and suddenly stands
still.) We were both assistant physicians at
Rappenweiler’s. A young man was a patient
in our clinic. I see him lie before me now; I
even know his name, Engelhart Wagner. Our
chief—we all—had made a false diagnosis of
his case. The autopsy revealed the fact that
another treatment would have saved him. And
as we stood there, when the fact was made
clear, you whispered to me; “I knew it.“ Vou
knew what was the matter with the patient;
you had the correct diagnosis.
Flint: The only one.
Bernhardi: Yes, vou were the only one.
Yet you carefully avoided, while he was alive,
making it known. And why you did it is a
question you may answer yourself. I do not
suppose it was conviction.
Flint: By Jovel you have a good memory.
I remember the case, and I’lI admit that I
box 31/8
PROFESSOR BERNHARDI: A PLAY 25
considered the other treatment the right one;
and I will also admit that Ikept silent besause
I did not want to hurt the chief’s pride by
showing that one of his assistants knew more
about the case than he did. Vou have reason
to reproach me with sacrificing a human life.
understand. What was the one victim com¬
pared to the hundreds of other human lives
which could be entrusted later to my skill?
Bernhardi: And you think that Rappen¬
weiler would have turned against yon?
Flint: That is very probable. You over¬
rate humanity. You do not know how nar¬
row-minded people are. It might have meant
a long delay in my career, and I had to ad¬
vance rapidly to gain the proper sphere of ac¬
tion for my capacities, which even you cannot
deny. Therefore, my dear Bernhardi, I per¬
mitted Engelhart Wagner to die, and I am un¬
able even to regret it. For it does not matter
much, my dear Bernhardi, whether or not you
may act correctly, or even be true to your con¬
victions in some immaterial detail, the thing
is to serve the one main idea of your life with
faithfulness. It is interesting to me that you
bring this poor Engelhart Wagner out of his
oblivion; for suddenly I am able to recognize
the essential differences in our two natures.
You will be astonished, Bernhardi, to learn of
their capacity to supplement each other, as it
were. You, Bernhardi, are probably much
more than I what the world calls “a respect¬
able man.“ But whether you are more capable
than I to do more for the general good seems