BOLZ (aside).

Matter for our next article! (Aloud.) “The slightest shade of difference of opinion between us.”  Just what I think!  We must have that in our paper! (Entreating).  Look!  A nice little virtuous article:  “An admonition to our voters—­Respect our opponents, for they are, after all, our brothers!” (Urging him more and more.) Oldendorf, that would be something for you—­there is virtue and humanity in the theme; writing will divert you, and you owe the paper an article because you forbade the feud.  Please do me the favor!  Go into the back room there and write.  No one shall disturb you.

OLDENDORF (smiling).

You are just a vulgar intriguer!

BOLZ (forcing him from his chair).

Please, you’ll find ink and paper there.  Come, deary, come! [He accompanies him to the door on the left.  Exit OLDENDORF.  BOLZ calling after him.] Will you have a cigar?  An old Henry Clay? [Draws a cigar-case from his pocket.] No?  Don’t make it too short; it is to be the principal article! [He shuts the door, calls through the door on the right.] The professor is writing the article himself.  See that nobody disturbs him! [Coming to the front.] So that is settled.—­Adelaide here in town!  I’ll go straight to her!  Stop, keep cool, keep cool!  Old Bolz, you are no longer the brown lad from the parsonage.  And even if you were, she has long since changed.  Grass has grown over the grave of a certain childish inclination.  Why are you suddenly thumping so, my dear soul?  Here in town she is just as far off from you as on her estates. [Seating himself and playing with a pencil.] “Nothing like keeping cool,” murmured the salamander as he sat in the stove fire.

Enter KORB.

KORB.

Is Mr. Bolz in?

BOLZ (jumping up).

Korb!  My dear Korb!  Welcome, heartily welcome!  It is good of you not to have forgotten me. [Shakes hands with him.] I am very glad to see you.

KORB.

And I even more to see you.  Here we are in town.  The whole village sends greetings!  From Anton the stable-boy—­he is now head man—­to the old night watchman whose horn you once hung up on the top of the tower.  Oh, what a pleasure this is!

BOLZ.

How is Miss Runeck?  Tell me, old chap!

KORB.

Very well indeed, now.  But we have been through much.  The late general was ill for four years.  It was a bad time.  You know he was always an irritable man.

BOLZ.

Yes, he was hard to manage.—­

KORB.

And especially during his illness.  But Miss Adelaide took care of him, so gentle and so pale, like a perfect lamb.  Now, since his death, Miss Adelaide runs the estate, and like the best of managers.  The village is prospering again.  I will tell you everything, but not until this evening.  Miss Adelaide is waiting for me; I merely ran in quickly to tell you that we are here.