From Scene Four of “The Good Person of Szechwan” by Bertolt Brecht - John Willet Translation.
Shen Teh, to the audience : I had never seen the city at dawn. These were the hours when I used to lie with my filthy blanket over my head, terrified to wake up. Today I mixed with the newsboys, with the men who were washing down the streets, with the ox-carts bringing fresh vegetables in from the fields. It was a long walk from Sun’s neighbourhood to here, but with ever step I grew happier. I had always been told that when one is in love one walks on air, but the wonderful thing is that one walks on earth, on tarmac. I tell you, at dawn the blocks of buildings are like rubbish heaps with little lights glowing in them; the sky is pink but still transparent, clear of dust. I tell you, you miss a great deal if you are not in love and cannot see your city at that hour when she rises from her couch like a sober old crafstman, filling his lungs with fresh air and reaching for his tools, as the poets have it. To the group waiting: Good morning! Here is your rice! She shares it out, then notices Wang: Good morning, Wang. I am light-headed today. All the way I looked at my reflection in the shop windows, and now I would like to buy myself a shawl. After a short hesitation: I should so like to look beautiful.