shall remain, father. And if you go, I go with you.

FORESTER.

The way I have to go one goes alone. Go, Mary.

SOPHY.

Go to bed, Mary.

FORESTER.

Good-night. And now it's enough. You know I cannot bear lamentations.

MARY.

You are not going without me, father. You cannot live without me,
father. Father, I now feel that in my heart.

FORESTER (_protesting_).

Yes, I can. What doesn't such a greenhorn feel!

MARY.

You turn away, father, so that I should not see you crying. Father,
pretend you are ferocious, as much as you like--

FORESTER (_wants to disengage himself_).

Silly thing there--

MARY.

I am going with you. You insist upon your right, and I upon mine, and
that is, that I must not leave you. Father, I feel now for the first
time that I love no one in the world as much as you. Tomorrow we go
together--if you must go. I am going to put on William's clothes. There
are still green forests in the world. And surely you shall not hear me
complaining. Don't be afraid of that. Why, I can cry during the nights,
when you don't see it. But then you will see it by my eyes in the
daytime. Why, I must not cry at all! I will only laugh and skip along
before you and sing--the beautiful hunting songs.--You see, father, this
is the last tear for Robert! And it is already dried, do you see? I am
sure that we shall still find happiness in this world--if you must go,
father. And if it is not to be, we will thank God and pray, if He only
keeps us honest. Then we will think: It is asking too much, if we also
wish to be happy. Have I not you? Have not you your good conscience and
your Mary? What more do we need?

[_Hanging on his neck_.]

FORESTER (_who has been warding her off constantly, almost furious,
because he can scarcely control his emotion_).

Indeed, indeed! Stupid thing!

[_More calmly_.]

And a "table--spread--thyself," a "gold--mule--stretch-thyself," and the
fairy-story is complete. Now go to bed, Mary.

[_Roughly_.]

Do you hear?

SOPHY.

Come, Mary.

MARY (_at the door of her room she looks around, and runs again to him;
embracing him, beside herself_).

Good-night, good-night!

[_She hurries to her room;_ SOPHY _follows_.]

FORESTER (_looking after her_).

My girl, my poor girl! It must not be here that I make an end of
myself!--Confound it. Shame on you, old--

SCENE VI

WEILER; _The_ FORESTER.

WEILER (_greets him with a silent nod; he is very much excited; h