OLD LADY. So-o—you imagined that Amelia, our own child, should follow you out on the highways, and that all you would have to do would be to unload one child after another on us! But we have already thought of that and put a stop to it——
ADOLPH. Where is Amelia? Where?
OLD LADY. You may just as well know. She has gone on; a visit to the convent of the Poor Clares—only for a visit. So now you know it's of no use to look for her here.
ADOLPH. Some time you will have to suffer for your cruelty in depriving a man in distress of his only support. And if you break up our marriage, the penalty of that breach will fall on you.
JUDGE. You should be ashamed of putting your own guilt on those that are innocent! Go now! And may you hunger and thirst, with every door closed to you, until you have learned gratitude!
ADOLPH. The same to you in double measure!—But let me only bid my children good-bye, and I will go.
JUDGE. As you don't want to spare your children the pain of leave-taking, I'll do so—have already done it, in fact.
ADOLPH. That, too! Then I believe you capable of all the evil that has been rumoured. And now I know what our neighbour meant when he said that you couldn't—endure the sun!
JUDGE. Not another word! Or you will feel the heavy hand of law and justice——
He raises his right hand so that the absence of its forefinger becomes visible.