But Mr. Flamm took oath. BERND Ten oaths against me ... twenty oaths against me!... Then he has sworn falsely an' damned hisself in this world an' in the world to come! AUGUST Father Bernd.... BERND Now wait a bit before ever you say another word! Here I take the books! Here I take my hat! Here I take the collecting box o' the missions. An' all these things I puts together here. An' if that's true what you've been sayin'--if there's so much in it as a grain o' truth--then I'll go this minute to the pastor an' I'll say: Your reverence, this is how things is: I can't be a deacon no more; I can't take care o' the treasury for missions no more! Good-bye! And then nobody would see me no more! No, no, no, for the love o' God! But now go on! Say your say! But don't torture me for nothin'. AUGUST I had the same thought, too. I want to sell my house an' my land! Maybe one could find contentment somewhere else. BERND [_In unspeakable astonishment._] You want to sell your house an' your land, August? How do all these strange things come about all of a sudden! It's enough ... A body might be tempted to make the sign o' the cross, even though we're not Catholics.--Has the whole world gone mad? Or is the Day o' Judgment at hand? Or maybe, 'tis but my last hour that has come. Now answer me, August, how is it? As you hope for a life to come, how is it? AUGUST However it is, father Bernd, I won't desert her. BERND You can do about that as you please. That don't concern me! I don't want to know if a man'd like a wench o' that kind in his house or not. Not me! I'm not that kind of a man. Well now ...? AUGUST I can't say nothin' more than this--somethin' must ha' happened to her! Whether 'twas with Flamm or with Streckmann.... BERND That makes two of 'em ...! AUGUST I can't tell exactly ...! BERND Well, then I'll be goin' to the pastor! Brush me off, August, clean me a bit! I feel as if I had the itch on my body! [_He steps into the hall._ _At the same moment MARTHEL rushes out of the kitchen and speaks to AUGUST in intense terror._ MARTHEL I believe a misfortune has happened to Rose! She's upstairs! She's been home this long time! BERND [_Returns, changed somewhat by a fright which he has felt._] Somebody must be upstairs. AUGUST Marthel is just sayin' that Rose is there. MARTHEL I hear her. She's comin' down the stairs. BERND God forgive me the sin! I don't want to see her.