.

GODFREY, _a hunter_.

WEILER, _keeper in Ulrich's forest_.

_The proprietor of the "Boundary Inn."_

FREI }
LINDENSCHMIED} _Poachers_.
KATHARINE }

BASTIAN, _Stein's valet_.

_Two porters._

_The scene is alternately the forester's house at Duesterwalde and
Stein's mansion at Waldenrode; once, in Act III, the Frontier Inn and
the Dell._

THE HEREDITARY FORESTER (1850)

TRANSLATED BY ALFRED REMY, A.M.

Professor of Modern Languages, Brooklyn Commercial High School.

ACT I

_The_ FORESTER'S _house at Duesterwalde_.

_In the back of the room a folding door and a closet; at either side
ordinary doors. On the right, a window; on the left, in the rear, the
stove; more to the front a cuckoo-clock; then a rack where several
rifles are hanging, among them two double-barreled ones, hunter's bags
and similar utensils; and a book shelf on which are a Bible and
hymn-books._

SCENE I

_Behind the scenes musicians are heard playing._ WEILER, _looking about
him, slowly through the centre door; the_ FORESTER'S _wife at the same
time from the left with an air of being very busy. Then_ ANDREW,
WILLIAM, _and finally_ MARY.

SOPHY. There, the musicians have come already. I wonder where I put the
cellar-key. The musicians must have something to drink. You here,
Weiler?

WEILER.

Yes, I'm here. But where is the old man--the forester?

SOPHY.

My husband? Isn't he outside?

WEILER.

I want to see him about the wood-cutters.

SOPHY.

Can't you wait?

WEILER.

Wait? Bless you, no. I have my hands full.

SOPHY.

Then get along with you!

WEILER (_quietly filling his short clay pipe with tobacco_).

Yes.

SOPHY.

Is he perhaps already with Herr Stein--

WEILER.

Yes; the sand was already strewn on Tuesday. And the garlands outside at
the door. If I do not mistake we are today celebrating the engagement of
Miss Mary to Mr. Robert Stein? Then they will be even more chummy when
he can say "my father-in-law, Mr. Stein." And that is by no means all.
Now Stein has also bought the estate where Ulrich is forester. The fat
lawyer from town fixed up the deeds yesterday. And this morning Stein
got out of bed as proprietor of Duesterwalde.

SOPHY.

The table here--

WEILER (_while they carry the table together, on the left_).

Won't Ulrich have an easy time of it, now that his old friend has become
his master, and is going to be his father-in-law into the bargain!

SOPHY.