SCENE X.
Privy Counsellor, Master Clarenbach.
Clar. I must come to you once more;--have you seen old Wellenberg?
P. Coun. Yes.
Clar. Well, what do you say about it?
P. Coun. I am shocked.
Clar. Thank God! What do you mean to do?
P. Coun. Alas! what can I do?
Clar. Jack, your honour is already in great arrears with our town, and your conscience does not altogether keep a fair day-book. I ask you, in the name of God, what do you mean to do?
P. Coun. All I can, father!
Clar. If you are in earnest, come along with me; let us go from hence.
P. Coun. Why so soon,--and whither?
Clar. Fly, fly from the brink of destruction. You must not dine here, you must not remain here any longer. You must not marry into this family.
P. Coun. The girl is my good genius. I cannot leave her.
Clar. Then her father, that bad genius, will not leave you! Do not struggle between the two. Come along with me; do as you ought; be afraid of no man, confide in God, and hope! You will have the girl at last. Come along with me.
P. Coun. I wish I could! were I not at once rivetted down here by the demon of evil, and irresistibly bid to stay by the power of virtue!
Clar. Jack, dear Jack, my son, do not send me away without you; come along with me.
P. Coun. I cannot; you see I cannot.
Clar. God have mercy on thee! thou art undone!
P. Coun. It may be. I am undone whether I stay or go. And so I will stay and strive, and see what I can yet retrieve of my honour.
Clar. How can you save the honour of your situation in life, if the honour of your heart be lost, and that must be lost among these people?--You have removed honest Gernau, because he acts up to his duty.--Your sister weeps bitterly,--the town despises you;--I have not yet frowned on you. and will not do so now, because I pity you. But I will leave this town, and take shelter with honest Gernau, who is to be my son-in-law.
P. Coun. You will leave this town?
Clar. I do not wish it. I shall, with tears, leave my timber-yard and the work which hitherto I have carried on with pleasure and success. But as there is no remedy to save you from destruction, I must go. I cannot witness it.
P. Coun. Is it my fault, if--
Clar. Your faults are many and great; your native town knows them, and despises you. I cannot see you lowered thus, Jack. It has not been in my power to make a great man of you, but I have educated you to be an honest man. I have taken care of the tree, while young, and now it is grown up, one branch decays after the other. And if it must be so, that no green sprig shall henceforth flourish, then I will turn my eyes from it, visit it no more, nor live on the spot where the withered stem, that I am so fond of, shall fall.
P. Coun. Father!
Clar. I cannot weep; but I feel myself very ill on your account. Enter a Servant.
Serv. The company is waiting for the Privy Counsellor.
P. Coun. I am coming.
[Exit Servant.
Clar. Dear son, do not let me go without you. Behold! you may still go with me as half a good man; we will all strive to mend the other bad half.--Have pity on yourself and me; you stand, upon my word, on the spot where the road divides,--the bad people in there, and here your old father. They hold out to you good and high life; I offer you peace and happiness.--For God's sake, Jack, follow me!
P. Coun. (embraces him.) I cannot do that; but I vow to you I will yet do much.
Clar. That is a good word, and no more. Farewell, I will set off.--I shall not see you again. Once more give me your hand.
P. Coun. No, I shall not do that. I will not part with you in this manner.
Clar. It is best so;--it shakes my whole frame,--and my daughter has likewise a claim on my life! Come then once more to this heart, that once delighted in you.--(Embraces him.)
P. Coun. Father!--
Clar. You weep over yourself! God! that it should come to this!--Now farewell; I forgive thee, and so does thy sister. May God take thy wealth from thee, that thou mayest amend, and sometime leave this world in peace!--Farewell! (Attempts to go.)