SOPHY, his wife.

ANDREW, forester’s assistant }
MARY } their children. 
WILLIAM }

WILKENS, a wealthy farmer, uncle of SOPHY.

The Pastor of Waldenrode.

MOeLLER, Stein’s bookkeeper.

GODFREY, a hunter.

WEILER, keeper in Ulrich’s forest.

The proprietor of the “Boundary Inn."

FREI }
LINDENSCHMIED} Poachers. 
KATHARINE }

BASTIAN, Stein’s valet.

Two porters.

The scene is alternately the forester’s house at Duesterwalde and Stein’s mansion at Waldenrode; once, in Act III, the Frontier Inn and the Dell.

THE HEREDITARY FORESTER (1850)

TRANSLATED BY ALFRED REMY, A.M.

Professor of Modern Languages, Brooklyn Commercial High School.

ACT I

The FORESTER’S house at Duesterwalde.

In the back of the room a folding door and a closet; at either side ordinary doors.  On the right, a window; on the left, in the rear, the stove; more to the front a cuckoo-clock; then a rack where several rifles are hanging, among them two double-barreled ones, hunter’s bags and similar utensils; and a book shelf on which are a Bible and hymn-books.

SCENE I

Behind the scenes musicians are heard playing. WEILER, looking about him, slowly through the centre door; the FORESTER’S wife at the same time from the left with an air of being very busy.  Then ANDREW, WILLIAM, and finally MARY.

SOPHY.  There, the musicians have come already.  I wonder where I put the cellar-key.  The musicians must have something to drink.  You here, Weiler?

WEILER.

Yes, I’m here.  But where is the old man—­the forester?

SOPHY.

My husband?  Isn’t he outside?

WEILER.

I want to see him about the wood-cutters.

SOPHY.

Can’t you wait?

WEILER.

Wait?  Bless you, no.  I have my hands full.

SOPHY.

Then get along with you!

WEILER (quietly filling his short clay pipe with tobacco).

Yes.

SOPHY.

Is he perhaps already with Herr Stein—­

WEILER.

Yes; the sand was already strewn on Tuesday.  And the garlands outside at the door.  If I do not mistake we are today celebrating the engagement of Miss Mary to Mr. Robert Stein?  Then they will be even more chummy when he can say “my father-in-law, Mr. Stein.”  And that is by no means all.  Now Stein has also bought the estate where Ulrich is forester.  The fat lawyer from town fixed up the deeds yesterday.  And this morning Stein got out of bed as proprietor of Duesterwalde.