STER.

_My_ Andrew is dead. If you lie slain in the Dell--then you shall be my
Andrew--then everything is well--then we will rejoice--then we will
sing: Lord God, we praise Thee!

PASTOR.

He is demented!

STEIN.

Andrew, my Robert--

ANDREW.

You have my muffler which Lindenschmied stole from me before he killed
Godfrey?

STEIN.

Lindenschmied killed Godfrey? And my Robert--

ANDREW.

Robert was pursuing him. He compelled Robert to shoot him.

FORESTER.

He? He had your gun?

ANDREW.

Stolen it with my muffler.

FORESTER.

And Robert did--

ANDREW.

Lindenschmied was not mortally wounded. I had his wound dressed in the
mill, and had him removed before the magistrate--

FORESTER (_gradually collapsing_).

I am in the wrong!

[_Sinks down upon a chair_.]

ANDREW.

That is the reason why I am so late.

FORESTER (_rises; goes to_ STEIN _with his gun in his hand_).

Stein, do to me according to my desert.

STEIN.

What do you mean?

FORESTER.

"Eye for eye, tooth for tooth"--

STEIN (_looking at the_ PASTOR).

What does he mean by that again?

FORESTER.

Weiler thought that Lindenschmied with the gun was my Andrew. Your
Robert wounded Lindenschmied, and I--killed your Robert for this!

PASTOR.

Almighty God!

ANDREW (_at the same time_).

Robert!

FORESTER (_almost simultaneously_).

Shoot me!

STEIN (_has seized the gun_).

You murderer!

[_The_ PASTOR _arrests his arm_.]

ANDREW.

You shot Robert, father? Robert lives!

STEIN.

He lives?

PASTOR.

He lives?

FORESTER.

He lives?

ANDREW.

He lives, as surely as I live!

FORESTER.

It was only a dream? Can it be that I am not a murderer? That I am an
honorable man?

PASTOR.

That you are, Ulrich. Drive away that unfortunate delusion.

STEIN.

Man alive, to what might you have provoked me!

[_Puts away the gun_.]

FORESTER.

You saw him? When did you see him, Andrew? Now, Andrew? Just
now, Andrew?

ANDREW.

Just now, as I was coming home, I met two men from the mill with a
stretcher. Robert had just called them out of their beds; they were
going to the Dell; Robert had gone ahead of them.

FORESTER.

To the Dell?

PASTOR.

With a stretcher?

STEIN.

What can be behind all this?

FORESTER (_has gone to the door of_ MARY'S _room; releases the latch_).

Thanks be to God!

[_Listening_.]

I hear her breathing. Oh, she sleeps a peaceful sleep. I am oppressed
w