"Where did they get the stones from?"--"Yes, it's time you were off!"--"From the new road."--"Ta-ta, soldiers!"--"It's rainin' paving-stones." [_Shrieks of terror and loud roaring outside, taken up by those in the entry-room. There is a cry of fear, and the house door is shut with a bang._ VOICES IN THE ENTRY-ROOM "They're loadin' again."--"They'll fire another volley this minute."--"Father Hilse, get away from that window." GOTTLIEB [_Clutches the axe._] What! is we mad dogs? Is we to eat powder an' shot now instead o' bread? [_Hesitating an instant to the old man._] Would you have me sit here an' see my wife shot? Never! [_As he rushes out._] Look out! I'm coming! OLD HILSE Gottlieb, Gottlieb! MOTHER HILSE Where's Gottlieb gone? OLD HILSE He's gone to the devil. VOICES FROM THE ENTRY-ROOM Go away from the window, father Hilse. OLD HILSE Not I! Not if you all goes crazy together! [_To MOTHER HILSE, with rapt excitement._] My heavenly Father has placed me here. Isn't that so, mother? Here we'll sit, an' do our bounden duty--ay, though the snow was to go on fire. [_He begins to weave._ [_Rattle of another volley. OLD HILSE, mortally wounded, starts to his feet and then falls forward over the loom. At the same moment loud shouting of_ "Hurrah!" _is heard. The people who till now have been standing in the entry-room dash out, joining in the cry. The old woman repeatedly asks:_ "Father, father, what's wrong with you?" _The continued shouting dies away gradually in the distance. MIELCHEN comes rushing in._ MIELCHEN Gran'father, gran'father, they're drivin' the soldiers out o' the village; they've got into Dittrich's house, an' they're doin' what they did at Dreissiger's. Gran'father! [_The child grows frightened, notices that something has happened, puts her finger in her mouth, and goes up cautiously to the dead man._] Gran'father! MOTHER HILSE Come now, father, can't you say something? You're frightenin' me. THE END THE BEAVER COAT A THIEVES' COMEDY LIST OF CHARACTERS VON WEHRHAHN, _Justice._ KRUEGER, _Capitalist in a small way._ DR. FLEISCHER. PHILIP, _his son._ MOTES. MRS. MOTES. MRS. WOLFF, _Washerwoman._ JULIUS WOLFF, _her husband._ LEONTINE, ADELAIDE, _her daughters._ WULKOW, _Lighterman._ GLASENAPP, _Clerk in the Justice's court._ MITTELDORF, _Constable._ Scene of the action: anywhere in the neighbourhood of Berlin. THE FIRST ACT