"He--he--shall--surely--be--put to death"--
_Enter_ ANDREW.
STEIN (_going toward him_).
G.o.d be thanked! Andrew, you live!
FORESTER (_makes a great effort_).
It is not true. He is dead. He must be dead.
ANDREW.
Father!
FORESTER (_stretching out his hand, as if warding him off_).
Who are you?
ANDREW (_more and more alarmed_).
Do you not know your Andrew any more?
FORESTER.
_My_ Andrew is dead. If you lie slain in the Dell--then you shall be my Andrew--then everything is well--then we will rejoice--then we will sing: Lord G.o.d, we praise Thee!
PASTOR.
He is demented!
STEIN.
Andrew, my Robert--
ANDREW.
You have my m.u.f.fler which Lindenschmied stole from me before he killed G.o.dfrey?
STEIN.
Lindenschmied killed G.o.dfrey? And my Robert--
ANDREW.
Robert was pursuing him. He compelled Robert to shoot him.
FORESTER.
He? He had your gun?
ANDREW.
Stolen it with my m.u.f.fler.
FORESTER.
And Robert did--
ANDREW.
Lindenschmied was not mortally wounded. I had his wound dressed in the mill, and had him removed before the magistrate--
FORESTER (_gradually collapsing_).
I am in the wrong!
[_Sinks down upon a chair_.]
ANDREW.
That is the reason why I am so late.
FORESTER (_rises; goes to_ STEIN _with his gun in his hand_).
Stein, do to me according to my desert.
STEIN.
What do you mean?
FORESTER.
"Eye for eye, tooth for tooth"--
STEIN (_looking at the_ PASTOR).
What does he mean by that again?
FORESTER.
Weiler thought that Lindenschmied with the gun was my Andrew. Your Robert wounded Lindenschmied, and I--killed your Robert for this!
PASTOR.
Almighty G.o.d!
ANDREW (_at the same time_).