dreams. Truly, there's no game to be caught. Why, who's there?

[_Two lovers enter._]

HE.

I say, my sweet life, do you hear the nightingale?

SHE.

I am not deaf, my good friend.

HE.

How my heart overflows with joyousness when I see all harmonious
nature thus gathered about me, when every tone but reechoes the
confession of my love, when all heaven bows down to diffuse its ether
over me.

SHE.

You are raving, my dear!

HE.

Do not call the most natural emotions of my heart raving. (_He
kneels down._) See, I swear to you, here in the presence of glad
heaven--

HINZE (_approaching them courteously_).

Kindly pardon me--would you
not take the trouble to go somewhere else? You are disturbing a hunt
here with your lovely affection.

HE.

Be the sun my witness, the earth--and what else? Thou, thyself,
dearer to me than earth, sun, and all the elements. What is it, good
friend?

HINZE.

The hunt--I beg most humbly.

HE.

Barbarian, who are you, to dare to interrupt the oaths of love?
You are not of woman born, you belong outside humanity.

HINZE.

If you would only consider, sir--

SHE.

Then wait just a second, good friend; you see, I'm sure, that my
lover, lost in the intoxication of the moment, is down on his knees.

HE.

Dost thou believe me now?

SHE.

Oh, didn't I believe you even before you spoke a word? (_She
bends down to him affectionately._) Dearest! I love you! Oh,
inexpressibly!

HE.

Am I mad? Oh, and if I am not, why do I not become so immediately
with excess of joy, wretched, despicable creature that I am? I am no
longer on the earth; look at me well, dearest, and tell me: Am I not
perhaps standing in the sun?

SHE.

You are in my arms, and they shall never release you either.

HE.

Oh, come, this open field is too narrow for my emotions, we must
climb the highest mountain, to tell all nature how happy we are.

[_Exit the lovers, quickly and full of delight. Loud applause and
bravos in the pit._]

WIESENER (_clapping_).

The lover thoroughly exhausted himself. Oh, my,
I gave myself such a blow on the hand that it swelled right up.

NEIGHBOR.

You do not know how to restrain yourself when you are glad.

WIESENER.

Yes, I am always that way.

FISCHER.

Ah!--that was certainly something for the heart; that makes
one feel good again!

LEUTNER.

Really beautiful diction in that scene!

MUeLLER.

But I wo