SOPHY.

What words are those?

ROBERT.

Idle words.  It is children that are afraid of words.

ANDREW.

There will be something more than words, as surely as I am a man.

ROBERT.

If you were a man you would not threaten, you—­

ANDREW.

If we were somewhere else, you would not taunt—­

FORESTER.

Andrew!

ROBERT.

Make room—­

ANDREW.

Get out, I say—­

[FORESTER almost at the same time puts his finger in his mouth and gives a shrill whistle.]

ANDREW.

If you no longer—­

FORESTER (stepping between the two).

Rebellious boys!  Hold your peace!  Don’t you dare to strike, either one of you!  You confounded fellow!  When I need a guardian I certainly shall not select a greenhorn.  Is it I who is master here or is it some one else?  What business have you here, fellow?  Get you gone into the forest; look after Weiler that he does not loaf; then take out a dozen maple trees from the nursery and put them up in damp moss; see to it that the messenger from Haslau does not have to wait when he comes.  Not a word!  Along with you!

[ANDREW obeys and goes, after having cast a threatening look at ROBERT, to which the latter replies.]

FORESTER.

And you, Mr. Stein; good-day, Mr. Stein.  You know what I mean.

SOPHY.

If you would intercede with your father; but gently and kindly!  And if you would bring him back!

MARY.

Then I should see how truly you love me, Robert.

FORESTER (less roughly).

Don’t come again before that.  Good-by, Robert.  And leave that girl alone.

ROBERT.

I am going.  But come what may, I shall not resign my claim upon Mary. [Exit.]

SOPHY.

Is everything to turn out unlucky today?  And you, cousin, are you also going to leave us?

WILKENS.

Well!  If one insists on running his head through a wall, I’m not the fool to hold my hand in between.

[Exit.]

ACT II

In the Manor House

SCENE I

STEIN alone, seated.

STEIN.

Confound his obstinacy!  The whole fine day spoiled!  Otherwise we should now be at table.  I suppose he is right after all, that this clearing serves no goad purpose.  But is that a reason why he should put me into this rage?  It is true, I should have been wiser than he.  Probably my excitement was also partly to blame.—­I am only sorry for his wife—­and the children.  I am going to—­[Rises, then sits down again.] Do what?  Repair one foolish action with another?  Be as rash in yielding as I was in taking offense?  The old hotspur!  But that shall serve me as a lesson.