Chapter 93

LINDENSCHMIED; HOST. _Enter_ MÖLLER, _after him_ FREI.

MÖLLER.

Host, let me have a drink. [_Aside_.] I guess he will find his way home; Godfrey will. From the mill in the Dell it is scarcely a quarter of an hour to his house.--Good evening.

FREI (_still without_).

Let's take a drink while we are passing.

[_Enters_.]

I am going over to the duke's estate. There they are having a jolly time.

HOST.

God save us from that sort of jollity! Your health, Mr. Möller!

MÖLLER.

Fine company!

HOST.

Will you not take a seat, Mr. Möller?

MÖLLER.

Thank you. I still have to go to the blast-furnace this evening; my men have gone ahead.

[_Aside, while putting the glass to his lips_.]

To the happy consummation of the marriage with Löhlein and Co!

FREI.

Over yonder things are going topsy-turvy, and with us here the crisis will come today or tomorrow. The Hereditary Forester has already barricaded himself in his house.

HOST.

Nonsense! He! He is conscientiousness personified!

FREI.

One is conscientious as long as it pays. That man is a fool who remains so one hour longer. He or his people are going to shoot Godfrey wherever they find him.

[_Makes a gesture_.]

And the Hereditary Forester does not waste many words. In that respect I know the old fellow with his white moustache.

LINDENSCHMIED (_laughing hoarsely_).

Is that so?

FREI (_looks at him_).

Do you mean to say you are going to take Godfrey's part? Hey, Lindenschmied?

LINDENSCHMIED (_as before_).

Godfrey's--

FREI.

Every child knows how much you love him!

LINDENSCHMIED (_with a gesture, as before_).

Ha! Ha!

FREI.

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--

MÖLLER (_hurriedly_).

Here, host. Almost eight o'clock!

HOST.

Are you in such a hurry, Mr. Möller?

MÖLLER.

At the blast-furnace they are waiting for me.

HOST.

Your change--

MÖLLER (_already at the door_).

Never mind! Credit it to me for tomorrow.

[_Exit._]