It certainly is unfair; wrong before the tribunal of the heart, but not before the law. FORESTER. Whatever is right before the heart must also be right before the law. PASTOR. If you would permit me to explain to you-- FORESTER. Explain? Here everything is clear, except your cobwebs of the brain by means of which those gentlemen would like to puzzle you, so that you might lose confidence in your own common-sense. Those Buts and those Ifs! I know all about that! The Buts and the Ifs--they originate entirely in the head; the heart knows nothing of them; they are the creators of intrigues. Very well, sir, go ahead with your explanation. But confine yourself to plain Yes and No. Anything outside of that is a nuisance. The Buts and Ifs are a nuisance. Mr. Stein intends to rob me of my honor; he intends to reward my fidelity and my honesty with disgrace; in my sixty-fifth year I am to stand before the world as a scoundrel. Now, Sir, Yes or No--is that right? PASTOR. I am to answer Yes or No? Indeed, it is not right in the ordinary sense, but-- FORESTER (_interrupts triumphantly_). Then it is not right? And if it is not right, it must be wrong. And for this purpose the courts are there, that no wrong shall be done. No man shall make me doubt my good right. And I shall break friendship forever with him who says another word to me about yielding. Amen! If only a But were required to make wrong right, then I would rather live among the savages, then I would rather be the most miserable beast on God's earth than a human being. Are you ready, boys? ANDREW _and_ WILLIAM. Yes. FORESTER. Come then, boys. Everything else may go to the devil, sir. But right, sir, right must remain right! [_Exeunt_.] ACT III _The Boundary Inn._ SCENE I LINDENSCHMIED; HOST. _Enter_ MÖLLER, _after him_ FREI. MÖLLER. Host, let me have a drink. [_Aside_.] I guess he will find his way home; Godfrey will. From the mill in the Dell it is scarcely a quarter of an hour to his house.--Good evening. FREI (_still without_). Let's take a drink while we are passing. [_Enters_.] I am going over to the duke's estate. There they are having a jolly time. HOST. God save us from that sort of jollity! Your health, Mr. Möller! MÖLLER. Fine company! HOST. Will you not take a seat, Mr. Möller? MÖLLER. Thank you. I still have to go to the blast-furnace this evening; my men have gone ahead. [_Aside, while putting the glass to his lips_.] To the happy consummation of the marriage with Löhlein and Co! FREI. Over yonder things are going topsy-turvy, and with us here the crisis will come today or tomorrow. The Hereditary Forester has already barricaded himself in his house. HOST. Nonsense! He! He is conscientiousness personified! FREI. One is conscientious as long as it pays. That man is a fool who remains so one hour longer. He or his people are going to shoot Godfrey wherever they find him. [_Makes a gesture_.]