The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Ix Part 101

Weiler himself heard the Hereditary Forester say it. And, I tell you, what the Hereditary Forester says--that's as good as if another fellow had already done it.

LINDENSCHMIED.

He'll look out for his skin, the Hereditary Forester will.

[_Softly._]

If there were no judges that sit around the green table, and if there were no--

[_Indicates by a pantomime that he means the hangman._]

FREI.

His reign is at an end. He--For now it is

[_Strikes the table._]

Liberty! Long life to the Hereditary Forester! And whoever has any evil intentions toward him--I am alluding to no one--

MoLLER (_hurriedly_).

Here, host. Almost eight o'clock!

HOST.

Are you in such a hurry, Mr. Moller?

MoLLER.

At the blast-furnace they are waiting for me.

HOST.

Your change--

MoLLER (_already at the door_).

Never mind! Credit it to me for tomorrow.

[_Exit._]

SCENE II

LINDENSCHMIED; HOST; FREI.

FREI (_rises, shaking his fist after him_).

Nothing shall be credited to you and fellows of your kind. Everything shall be paid to you. Lindenschmied, are you coming along to the duke's estate?

LINDENSCHMIED.

I'm going my own way. [_Advances._]

Those judges around the green table! The idea, that an honest fellow should be frightened when a leaf rustles, and look behind him to see whether the constable isn't after him!

FREI.

We'll knock it down--the green table--I tell you. We'll see to it that in ten years from now n.o.body will be able to get any information as to what sort of thing a constable ever was. Now it is Liberty, and Order has ceased to exist: everybody can do what he pleases. No more constables, no green table, I tell you. No tower, no chains. If the Lord had created the hares expressly for the n.o.bleman, he would at once have stamped his coat of arms into their fur. That would have been an easy matter for a person like the Lord. Now men know that those who are in prisons are martyrs worthy of veneration, and that the n.o.blemen are rascals, be they ever so honest. And the industrious people are rascals, for it is their fault that honest people who do not like to work are poor. That you can read printed in the newspapers. And if the Hereditary Forester gets hold of G.o.dfrey [_pantomime_] n.o.body can hurt him for that; for G.o.dfrey got honest people into prison, when they had stolen.

LINDENSCHMIED.

And he will not be punished? No? And another fellow neither, if he does it?

FREI.

Another fellow neither, I tell you. Over yonder the honest people set fire to the castle and plundered it; several people lost their lives in the affair; n.o.body cares a fig. Lucky he who now has an old grudge. And Ulrich need not run far. G.o.dfrey is reeling around there in the Dell; he's lost his hat--

LINDENSCHMIED (_puts his hands with convulsive haste into his pockets_).

And nothing--absolutely nothing--not even a blunt knife about me!

SCENE III

_The same. Enter ANDREW._

ANDREW (_entering_).

Isn't it close in here! [_Takes off his m.u.f.fler._] Good evening.

[_Wraps the m.u.f.fler around the lock of the gun, and puts the gun next to him against the wall._]

I advise every one not to touch this; the gun is loaded.

[_To the host._]

I do not know what is the matter with me. All at once I began to feel so badly out there. I was going to wait for my brother at the boundary.

HOST.

Make yourself at home, Mr. Andrew.

ANDREW.

I suppose William has not yet come.

[_Throws himself on a bench, puts his arms upon the table and rests his head upon them._]