Please, do not let us detain you.
FORESTER.
It is immaterial whether we sit here or there. Now then! Forty in spades.
[_Continuing to play_.]
STEIN.
All right! Go ahead.
FORESTER (_triumphantly_).
Are not you thinking of G.o.dfrey again? And the clearing? Hey?
STEIN (_controlling himself_).
Now you see--
FORESTER (_more excited_).
That the fellow is a fool--Queens are trumps.
STEIN.
I"m bearing in mind that we are not alone.
FORESTER (_excited by the game_).
And trump--and trump!--the forest shall be cleared!
STEIN.
That will do, I say. The idea was mine.
FORESTER.
And trump.
STEIN.
And if I--[_He controls himself_.]
FORESTER (_triumphantly_).
Well, what then?
[_Puts the cards together_.]
STEIN (_making a desperate effort to contain himself_).
And if I should wish to have it so--if I should insist upon it--then-- FORESTER.
Everything would remain as it is.
STEIN.
The forest would be cleared.
FORESTER.
Nothing of the kind.
STEIN.
We"ll see about that. And now the forest _shall_ be cleared.
FORESTER.
It shall _not_.
STEIN.
Sir!
FORESTER (_laughing_).
Mr. Stein!
STEIN.
It"s all right! It"s all right!
FORESTER (_very calmly_).
As it is.
STEIN.
Not another word--
FORESTER.
And not a tree--
STEIN (_rises_).
No contradiction and no sarcasm! That I request. That I insist upon. I am the master of Dusterwalde.