But, after all, it’s true! You can see for yourself, we are surrounded by enemies and traitors; we are surrounded by hatred on every side; we live in a perpetual trap; our lives hang by a thread; and every one of us can expect a bullet through his head at any moment. It is only natural that we should protect ourselves, when we are treated like this! I think the Major’s decision most reasonable, most fair, most humane. He had the right, it was almost his duty, in fact, to put the whole town to death; and he is contented with a single victim. Surely you can’t ask that a crime of this sort should remain unpunished! It would be the end of us! Besides, you will easily find the criminal; you have only to confirm the evidence that points to him. The mere fact of his presence in the wood implies so grave a presumption that you will never destroy it, however hard you try. All you have to do is to leave things alone and not interfere. Then, if the Major is wrong, the mistake will be on his head! THE BURGOMASTER I can hardly believe my ears, Otto! The war has altered you completely. You know old Claus as well as I do. You know that, of all men in my employment, he alone most likely is absolutely incapable of an act of this kind. If it were any one else, I might have a doubt, I might say: “Very well, perhaps. In war-time, you can never tell.” But Claus! It’s as much out of the question as though you suggested that the shot had been fired by the child which Isabelle is about to bring into the world!... “A grave presumption!” How dare you say that? You know why the poor fellow was in the nursery-garden: I sent him there myself, when he came to take my orders at six o’clock this morning. If I don’t do all that can be done to prove his innocence, it is as though I myself were commanding the firing-party.... OTTO And, if you do prove his innocence, you will be putting yourself in his place, in front of the firing-party. THE BURGOMASTER Very well, I’d rather have it that way!... But surely that isn’t possible. OTTO It won’t be, unless you want it yourself. We have ample time before us. It is almost certain that the real criminal will be discovered between now and this evening. THE BURGOMASTER The real criminal? Do you know where you’ve got to look for him? Among your own men! It is simply one of your soldiers who has taken the opportunity to rid himself of an officer who ill-treated him. You yourself told me, before the Major came in, that Lieutenant von Schaunberg was an insufferable lout and that he was generally hated and loathed. OTTO I dare say; but it’s a far cry from that to murder. In any case, I will myself make enquiries on that side; you, on yours, had better question Claus; he may give us a clue that will prove useful.