The same as before, but most of the PATRONS are long gone now. A barmaid clearing up. A few people at tables, still drinking. MARGARET with PATRON 5, dancing. KARL drunk (with his crutches nearby).
After a moment, WOYZECK enters and crosses to the bar. His eyes are wild. Moves toward the dancing couple.
WOYZECK … go on, dance! Dance, dance, we all should dance!! Before he comes to get us …
WOYZECK goes to the bar, downs a drink.
WOYZECK I’m hot, so hot … (Feeling his head.) That’s the way the devil works—takes one and lets the others go.
WOYZECK watches the dancers and suddenly jumps up. Pushes MARGARET’S partner away and grabs her up in his arms.
WOYZECK Sit down, you! (To MARGARET.) Hot, you are. Burning up. Why’s that? (Grabs her face.) But you want to be careful, Margaret, or you’ll end up cold … cold, I say!
MARGARET pulls his hand away from her face—is about to drop it but holds on, staring at his fingertips.
WOYZECK Sorry, yes … i wouldn’t want to make a mess of you.
MARGARET What’s this? Here? (Touching his hand.) On your fingertips?
WOYZECK On me? Where?
PATRON 5 They’re covered in red …
MARGARET … blood. (Looks at her fingers.) It’s blood.
WOYZECK Blood? Blood?!
The music comes to a halt. Silence. The others begin to gather around. WOYZECK backs up.
PATRON 1 Ewwww … blood.
WOYZECK I must’ve … I’ve cut myself.
MARGARET Where?
WOYZECK On the hand. I cut my hand or something …
PATRON 5 Then how’d it get on your elbow? There … (Points.) How?
WOYZECK When I wiped it. Off.
MARGARET Then you’re a genuis …
WOYZECK What do you mean?
MARGARET That hand on the same elbow. (She mimes it.) No …
KARL, still drunk in a corner, uses his crutches to stand and calls out:
KARL Fee-fie-fo-fum, I smell the blood of a dead some-one!
WOYZECK looks over at him—KARL pretends to stab at him with an imaginary knife. Laughs. The others watch, then turn back to WOYZECK.
WOYZECK What the hell are you looking at? Huh? What’s it to any of you?!
The circle tightens—WOYZECK moves backward toward the door.
WOYZECK WHAT’RE YOU ALL LOOKING AT?!!
The VOICES begin in again. Louder and louder. WOYZECK has to cover his ears.
VOICES WOYZECK … WOYZECK … WOYZECK!!
WOYZECK STOP IT!! STOP!!! (Beat.) What do you think I am … a murderer? Hmm? Look at yourselves …
One of the PATRONS steps forward, puts a hand on WOYZECK’S shoulder. WOYZECK begins to shake violently and pushes the man away.
WOYZECK Out of my way! Get away!!
WOYZECK turns and runs out. Exits. The others turn and look at each other, mumbling. KARL laughs and bangs his hands on the table.
KARL … once upon a time there was a little boy.
Blackout.