butterfly, and when all at once I was quite alone in the forest and wanted to cry and call after you, and who picked berries for me and played with me so nicely.”  “A little while ago?” I say.  “Did not the night come since then?” I say.  But she would not believe that.  We looked for the child and—­naturally did not find it.  Men no longer have faith in anything, but I know what I know.  Do you understand, Robert?  Say nothing.  It seems to me I were committing a sacrilege if I should say it right out.  There, shake hands with me without saying anything.  All right, Robert.—­For heaven’s sake, don’t let her hear what we are saying about her.

[Goes softly to the door; looks out.] MARY (outside).

Do you want anything, father?

FORESTER (nods secretly toward ROBERT, then brusquely).

Nothing.  And don’t you come in again before I—­

[Comes back; speaks just above a whisper.]

Do you see?  That’s the way to treat her.  You make far too much fuss about that girl.  She is [still more softly] a girl that any father might be proud of, and I think she is going to be a wife after God’s own heart.  I have such a one.  Do you see, I don’t mind telling you, because I know you are not going to repeat it to her.  For she must not know it; otherwise all my pains would go for nothing.  And pains it certainly cost me till I got her so far; pains, I tell you.  I advise you not to spoil my girl, whom I have gone to so much trouble to bring up properly.

ROBERT.

You may think,—­but I don’t understand you at all.

FORESTER.

There’s just the rub!  You don’t do it purposely.  But, confound it!  Don’t make such a fuss over the girl, do you hear?  If you go on this way, she will have you in her pocket within a month.  The women always want to rule; all their thoughts and aspirations tend to that end, without being themselves aware of it.  And when they finally do rule, they are unhappy in spite of it; I know more than one instance of this.  I only look inside the door, and I know for certain what sort of figure the man cuts.  I only look at the cattle.  If the dog or the cat is not well trained, neither are the children; and the wife still less.  Hey?  My wife does not yet know me as far as that here [points to his heart] is concerned.  And if she should ever get hold of that secret—­then good-by, authority!  The wife may be an angel, but the man must act like a bear.  And especially a huntsman.  That’s part of the business, just as much as the moustache and the green coat.

ROBERT.

But could it not be possible that—­