BERND You can't nowise make the girl stop that. When the fit takes her, she's got to go an' toil--if it's weekday or holiday. [_He is quite near her by this time._] Is there not time enough o' weekdays? AUGUST You do too much, Rosie! There's no need o' that! BERND If our good pastor saw that, it'd hurt him to the very soul. He wouldn't trust his own eyes. AUGUST An' he's been askin' for you again. STRECKMANN [_Suggestively._] They say, too, as he wants her to be his housekeeper. BERND [_Noticing him for the first time._] Why, that's Streckmann! STRECKMANN Yes, here I am, life-size. That girl, she's as busy as an ant or a bee! She'll be workin' if her sides crack. She's got no time to be sleepin' in the church. BERND It's little sleepin' we does there, I tell you. You might better say that them as are out here do the sleepin' an' don't want no awakenin'. The Bridegroom is at hand ... STRECKMANN An' that's certainly true! But the bride, meantime, runs off! AUGUST You're in a merry mood this day. STRECKMANN Yes, that I am. I could hug a curbstone ... or the handle o' your collection bag. I do feel most uncommonly jolly. I could laugh myself sick. BERND [_To ROSE._] Put up your things an' we'll go home! Not that way! That way I'm not goin' home with you! Put your hoe in the hollow of the tree! Carryin' that o' Sunday would give offence. AUGUST There's them that even gads about with guns. STRECKMANN An' devils that take no shame carryin' a whisky-bottle. [_He pulls his bottle out of his pocket._ AUGUST Each man does those things on his own responsibility. STRECKMANN True. An' at his own expense! Come, take courage an' have a drink with me for once. [_He holds out the bottle to AUGUST who pays no attention to him._ BERND You know well enough that August drinks no spirits!--Whereabouts is your threshin' machine now? STRECKMANN But you, father Bernd; you can't go an' refuse to take a drop with me! You've been a distiller yourself! My machine is on the great estate down below. BERND [_Takes the bottle hesitatingly._] Just because it's you, Streckmann, otherwise I wouldn't be touchin' it. When I was manager of the estate, I had to do a good many things! But I never liked to distil the drink an' I didn't touch it in them days at all. STRECKMANN [_To AUGUST who has placed a spade in the hollow of the cherry tree._] You just look at that tree! Piff, paff! All you got to do is to take your aim and let it fly. BERND There's people that goes hunting o' Sundays. STRECKMANN Squire Flamm. BERND Just so. We ha' met him. 'Tis bad. I'm sorry for them folks. _STRECKMANN throws cock-chafers at ROSE._ ROSE [_Trembling._] Streckmann! BERND What's wrong? AUGUST What's the meanin' o' that? STRECKMANN Nothin'! We've got a little private quarrel! AUGUST You can have your little quarrels. But it'd be better if you had 'em without her. STRECKMANN