What? Hasn't she come back from court yet? That isn't possible hardly! 'Tis eight o'clock. Was August here? MARTHEL Not yet. BERND Not yet either? Well, maybe she's with him then.--Have you seen that great cloud, Marthel, that was comin' over from the mountain about six o'clock, maybe? MARTHEL Yes, father; the world got all dark! BERND There'll come a day o' greater darkness than this! Light the lamp on the table for me an' put the Good Book down next to it. The great thing is to be in readiness. Marthel, are you sure you keep thinkin' o' the life eternal, so that you can stand up before your Judge on that day? Few is the souls that think of it here! Just now as I was comin' home along the water's edge, I heard some one cryin' out upon me from behind, as they often does. "Bloodsucker!" cried he. An' was I a bloodsucker when I was overseer on the domain? Nay, I did my duty,--that was all! But the powers of evil is strong! If a man is underhanded, an' closes his eyes to evil, an' looks on quietly upon cheatin'--then his fellows likes him well.--But I leans upon the Lord Jesus. We human bein's all need that support. 'Tisn't enough just to do good works! Maybe if Rose had given more thought to that, maybe we'd ha' been spared many a visitation an' a deal o' heaviness an' bitterness. [_A CONSTABLE appears in the doorway._] Who's comin' there? CONSTABLE I have a summons to serve, I must speak to your daughter. BERND My oldest daughter? CONSTABLE [_Reads from the document._] To Rose Bernd. BERND My daughter hasn't come back from court yet. Can I give her the letter? CONSTABLE No; I've got to make a personal search, too. I'll be back at eight in the mornin'. _AUGUST appears hastily._ BERND There's August, too. AUGUST Isn't Rose here? BERND No; an' the sergeant here is askin' after her, too. I thought you an' she was together. CONSTABLE I has to make a search into one matter an' also to serve this paper. AUGUST Always an' forever this Streckmann business. 'Tis not only the loss of my eye--now we has these everlastin' troubles an' annoyances. It seems, God forgive me, to come to no end. CONSTABLE Good evenin'. To-morrow mornin' at eight! [_Exit._ AUGUST Marthel, go into the kitchen a bit of a while.--Father, I've got to speak with you. Go, Marthel; go an' shut the door. But Marthel, didn't you see anythin' o' Rose? MARTHEL No, nothin'! [_Surreptitiously she beckons to him with her hand._] I'll tell you something August. AUGUST Close the door, lass. I have no time now. [_He himself closes the kitchen door._] Father, you'll have to withdraw your suit. BERND Anythin' but that, August. I can't do that! AUGUST 'Tis not Christian. Yon must withdraw. BERND I don't believe that 'tis not Christian!--For why? 'Tis a piece of infamy to cut off a girl's honour that way. 'Tis a crime that needs to be punished. AUGUST I hardly know how to begin, father Bernd.... You've been too hasty in this matter.... BERND