I am in my right mind. Look at me, woman! Do you believe in a God in
Heaven? Very well, Very well! Then place your hand upon the Bible, right
here. There my right is written. Now say after me: "As truly as I hope
to be saved--"

SOPHY (_faintly_).

As truly as I hope to be saved--

FORESTER.

"So truly shall it remain a secret what I am now about to hear."

SOPHY.

So truly shall it remain a secret what I am now about to hear.

[_Is obliged to sit down_.]

FORESTER.

And now give heed.--It is short--no But and no If about it--it is clear
as the right--and right must remain right--else we need no God in
Heaven! [_After he has made several attempts to begin, in a dejected and
low voice, while he leads her to the footlights_.] Do not be frightened.
Robert shot our Andrew, and I--I have executed judgment upon him.

SOPHY.

Oh, God! [_She can scarcely keep herself on her feet; wants to go to the
chair. He supports her_.]

FORESTER.

I have judged him. As it is written there--"Eye for eye, tooth for
tooth." I have judged him, because the courts no longer judge right.
They have two kinds of law, and here it is written: "Ye shall have one
manner of law." I have not murdered him, I have executed judgment upon
him. [_He walks up and down, then loses himself in thought at the place
where he believes_ SOPHY _still to be, who totters to the chair_.] But I
do not know whether it did happen--what has happened. My brain is so
wild and confused--[_Recollects with difficulty_] but I suppose it
really did happen--what has happened--and as it was about to
happen--what has happened--I saw Mary before my eyes, as if she put
herself in front of him and made a sign to me to stop, and cried: "It
is"--well, you know who! It was a delusion; it was only in my
imagination. After I have had wine, I always am in a state that I see
things which do not exist. And if it should have been she--the bullet
then was no longer under any control.

SOPHY.

Almighty God!

[_She drags herself with difficulty into_ MARY'S _room_.]

FORESTER (_does not notice it and, staring before him, continues as if
she were still standing beside him_).

It was not she. How could Mary have come there? It is nothing but the
effect of the wine, that today I see her everywhere. But nevertheless I
was frightened until I saw it had only been the smoke from the gun.
Everything was turning around before my eyes. But when the smoke had
cleared away--that was on