STRECKMANN

Maybe it's so. I can't change things. A man like me who has to go the round o' all the estates in the country with his threshin' machine--he don't have worry because he's not talked about. I know best how it is with me. Before ever Flamm came--I'm not mentionin' August--I'd thrown an eye on you. An' n.o.body knows what it's cost me. [_With iron stubbornness._] But the devil fetch me now! Come what may, Rosie! There's no more use tryin' to joke with me! I happened to come upon somethin'

to-day!

ROSE

An' what is it?

STRECKMANN

You'll see soon enough.

_MARTHEL, ROSE'S younger sister, comes skipping along the field-path.

She is neatly dressed in her Sunday garments and is still p.r.o.nouncedly child-like._

MARTHEL

[_Calls out._] Rose, is that you? What are you doin' here?

ROSE

I've got to finish hoein' the patch. Why didn't you stop to finish it o'

Sat.u.r.day?

MARTHEL

Oh, dearie me, Rosie, if father sees you!

STRECKMANN

If there's a bit o' profit in it, he won't do nothing very bad. You let old Bernd alone for that!

MARTHEL

Who is that, Rosie?

ROSE

Oh, don't ask me!

_Old BERND and AUGUST KEIL are approaching along the field-path from the village. The old, white-haired man, as well as the other who is about thirty-five years old, is dressed in his Sunday coat and each carries a hymn book. Old BERND has a white beard; his voice has a certain softness as though he had had and been cured of a severe pulmonary affection. One might imagine him to be a dignified retired family coachman. AUGUST KEIL, who is a bookbinder, has a pale face, thin, dark moustache and pointed beard. His hair is growing notably thin and he suffers from occasional nervous twitching. He is lean, narrow-chested; his whole appearance betrays the man of sedentary employment._

BERND

Isn't that Rosie?

AUGUST

Yes, father Bernd.

BERND

You can't nowise make the girl stop that. When the fit takes her, she's got to go an' toil--if it's weekday or holiday. [_He is quite near her by this time._] Is there not time enough o' weekdays?

AUGUST

You do too much, Rosie! There's no need o' that!

BERND

If our good pastor saw that, it'd hurt him to the very soul. He wouldn't trust his own eyes.

AUGUST

An' he's been askin' for you again.

STRECKMANN

[_Suggestively._] They say, too, as he wants her to be his housekeeper.

BERND

[_Noticing him for the first time._] Why, that's Streckmann!

STRECKMANN

Yes, here I am, life-size. That girl, she's as busy as an ant or a bee!

She'll be workin' if her sides crack. She's got no time to be sleepin' in the church.

BERND

It's little sleepin' we does there, I tell you. You might better say that them as are out here do the sleepin' an' don't want no awakenin'. The Bridegroom is at hand ...

STRECKMANN

An' that's certainly true! But the bride, meantime, runs off!

AUGUST

You're in a merry mood this day.

STRECKMANN

Yes, that I am. I could hug a curbstone ... or the handle o' your collection bag. I do feel most uncommonly jolly. I could laugh myself sick.

BERND

[_To ROSE._] Put up your things an' we'll go home! Not that way! That way I'm not goin' home with you! Put your hoe in the hollow of the tree!

Carryin' that o' Sunday would give offence.