me.
And with such talk one becomes doubly frightened. If you went to
Robert--

MARY.

To Robert? What, in the world, are you thinking of, mother?

SOPHY.

That it is God's finger--that letter of Robert's.

MARY.

I am to go to Robert? Now? To the Dell?

SOPHY.

What is to prevent it? You are not afraid.

MARY.

The idea of being afraid!

[_Proudly_.]

Ulrich's daughter!

SOPHY.

How often have you not been out at a more advanced hour of the night!

MARY.

But then father knew it. If I have father's permission and yours, I know
that an angel stands behind every tree. And father said: "If I am
mistaken in Mary"--

SOPHY.

I cannot slip away, without his noticing it, as well as you
can. The matter might still have taken a favorable turn, but it was not
to be. And your dream? You felt so light, the sky became so blue--you
see, in the Dell by the spring under the willows, there the sorrow that
weighs on you and on us all is to end.

MARY (_shaking her head_).

Do you really think so, mother?

SOPHY.

If you would go. We might then remain with father, Robert would try once
more to persuade his father, uncle Wilkens also would yield, and when
you wear the bridal wreath a second time it would be even more becoming
to you.

MARY.

I am to deceive my father, mother? In that case I believe no good could
ever come to me again in this world.

SOPHY.

You would have the satisfaction of knowing that you went for his sake.
Perhaps if, tomorrow, he must go forth into misery, or if they confine
him in the tower, or if something still worse happens--

MARY.

To father?

SOPHY.

Yes. Then you will think, perhaps too late: "Had I only gone!"

MARY.

But mother, if I were in the forest, and father should meet me? Or if he
should find us together?

SOPHY.

We must ask him, whether he is going to stay home.

MARY.

I cannot look at him without feeling as if my heart were bursting.

SOPHY.

Ask him on account of the soup.

MARY.

I shall ask him at once.

[_She approaches the_ FORESTER _timidly, stands next to him without his
noticing her_.]

SOPHY (_encouraging her_).

Don't be a child.

MARY (_softly_).

Father!

[_She bends over him, beside herself with pity_.]

Father, poor father!

[_Is going to embrace him_.]

FORESTER (_looking about, roughly_).

What's the matter? No lamentations!

SOPHY (_as_ MARY _stands disconcerted_).

Mary--

MARY (_controls hersel