BEIPST Yes, the Lord pity me. [_He shakes a threatening fist toward the fields._] Eh, wait, you ... you...! LOTH What happened to your leg? BEIPST My leg? LOTH Yes. BEIPST Eh? Somethin' got into it. LOTH Do you suffer pain? BEIPST [_Grasping his leg._] There's a tugging pain in it, a confounded pain. LOTH Do you see a doctor about it? BEIPST Doctors? Eh, you know, they're all monkeys--one like another. Only our doctor here--he's a mighty good man. LOTH And did he help you? BEIPST A little, maybe, when all's said. He kneaded my leg, you see, he squeezed it, an' he punched it. But no,'t'ain't on that account. He is ... well, I tell you, he's got compassion on a human bein', that's it. He buys the medicine an' asks nothin'. An' he'll come to you any time ... LOTH Still, you must have come by that trouble somehow. Or did you always limp? BEIPST Not a bit of it! LOTH Then I don't think I quite understand. There must have been some cause ... BEIPST How do I know? [_Once more he raises a menacing fist._] You jus' wait, you--with your rattling! KAHL [_Appears within his own garden. In his right hand he carries a rifle by the barrel, his left hand is closed. He calls across._] Good mornin', Doctor! _LOTH walks diagonally across the yard up to KAHL. In the meantime GUSTE as well as another maid-servant named LIESE have each made ready a wheel-barrow on which lie rakes and pitch-forks. They trundle their wheel-barrows past BEIPST out into the fields. The latter, sending menacing glances toward KAHL and making furtive gestures of rage, shoulders his scythe and limps after them. BEIPST and the maids disappear._ LOTH [_To KAHL._] Good morning. KAHL D'you want for to see somethin' fine? [_He stretches his closed hand across the fence._ LOTH [_Going nearer._] What have you there? KAHL Guess! [_He opens his hand at once._ LOTH What? Is it really true--you shoot the larks. You good for nothing! Do you know that you deserve to be beaten for such mischief? KAHL [_Stares at LOTH for some seconds in stupid amazement. Then, clenching his fist furtively he says:_] You son of a...! [_And swinging around, disappears toward the right._ [_For some moments the yard remains empty._]