FORESTER.

And I am the forester of Dusterwalde.

[STEIN _is getting more and more excited. He shows plainly that the presence of other persons increases his sensitiveness, and he makes an evident effort to control his temper. The_ FORESTER _treats the matter lightly, as an every-day affair_. SOPHY _with increasing anxiety looks from one to the other_. WILKENS _does not move a muscle of his face_.

MoLLER _exhibits his sympathy by accompanying his master's words with appropriate gestures. The entire pantomimic by-play is very rapid_.]

STEIN.

You are my servant, and I command: The forest shall be cleared. If not, you are no longer my servant. The forest shall be cleared.

FORESTER.

Old hot-head!

STEIN.

Either you obey, or you are no longer forester.

FORESTER.

Stuff and nonsense!

STEIN.

And I shall put G.o.dfrey in your place.

FORESTER.

Quite right. Congratulations.

STEIN (_b.u.t.tons his coat_).

The forest shall be cleared.

FORESTER.

The forest shall not be cleared.

SOPHY (_stepping between the two_).

But--

STEIN.

I regret this exceedingly.--Mr. Moller!--I bid everybody good-day.

[_Exit_.]

MoLLER.

Bravo! At last he has spoken his mind in a manner worthy of Stein and Son. Yours truly.

[_Follows_ STEIN.]

FORESTER.

I deal--

[_He looks up while shuffling the cards_.]

But--well, let him go. If he can't sit for an hour without exploding, the old powder-bag--

SCENE VIII

_The_ FORESTER _remains seated imperturbably_. SOPHY _stands beside his chair_. WILKENS _steps up to the_ FORESTER.

SOPHY.

But what in the world is going to come of this?

WILKENS.

He should have gone after him.

FORESTER. The old hot-head!

SOPHY.

I am absolutely dumbfounded. On the very day of betrothal!

WILKENS.

But for the sake of a few miserable trees he surely is not going to--

FORESTER.

Miserable trees? Thunder! In my forest there is no miserable tree!--Nonsense. There is no cause for lamentation.

WILKENS.

But Mr. Stein--

FORESTER.

Is not going to run far. When his anger has subsided, he will be the first one to--he is better than I.