Wolf stops reading his paper a moment to say a drastic thing about Lueger and his Christian-Social pieties, which sets the C.S.S. in a sort of frenzy.

Mr. Vielohlawek.  ’You leave the Christian Socialists alone, you word-of-honour-breaker!  Obstruct all you want to, but you leave them alone!  You’ve no business in this House; you belong in a gin-mill!’

Mr. Prochazka.  ‘In a lunatic-asylum, you mean!’

Vielohlawek.  ’It’s a pity that such man should be leader of the Germans; he disgraces the German name!’

Dr. Scheicher.  ‘It’s a shame that the like of him should insult us.’

Strohbach (to Wolf).  ’Contemptible cub—­we will bounce thee out of this!’ [It is inferable that the ‘thee’ is not intended to indicate affection this time, but to re-enforce and emphasise Mr. Storhbach’s scorn.]

Dr. Scheicher.  ’His insults are of no consequence.  He wants his ears boxed.’

Dr. Lueger (to Wolf).  ’You’d better worry a trifle over your Iro’s word of honour.  You are behaving like a street arab.’

Dr. Scheicher.  ‘It is infamous!’

Dr. Lueger.  ’And these shameless creatures are the leaders of the German
People’s Party!’

Meantime Wolf goes whooping along with his newspaper readings in great contentment.

Dr. Pattai.  ‘Shut up!  Shut up!  Shut up!  You haven’t the floor!’

Strohbach.  ‘The miserable cub!’

Dr. Lueger (to Wolf, raising his voice strenuously above the storm).  ‘You are a wholly honourless street brat!’ [A voice, ’Fire the rapscallion out!’ But Wolf’s soul goes marching noisily on, just the same.]

Schonerer (vast and muscular, and endowed with the most powerful voice in the Reichsrath; comes ploughing down through the standing crowds, red, and choking with anger; halts before Deputy Wohlmeyer, grabs a rule and smashes it with a blow upon a desk, threatens Wohlmeyer’s face with his fist, and bellows out some personalities, and a promise).  ’Only you wait—­we’ll teach you!’ [A whirlwind of offensive retorts assails him from the band of meek and humble Christian Socialists compacted around their leader, that distinguished religious expert, Dr. Lueger, Burgermeister of Vienna.  Our breath comes in excited gasps now, and we are full of hope.  We imagine that we are back fifty years ago in the Arkansas Legislature, and we think we know what is going to happen, and are glad we came, and glad we are up in the gallery, out of the way, where we can see the whole thing and yet not have to supply any of the material for the inquest.  However, as it turns out, our confidence is abused, our hopes are misplaced.]

Dr. Pattai (wildly excited).  ’You quiet down, or we shall turn ourselves loose!  There will be cuffing of ears!’

Prochazka (in a fury).  ‘No—­not ear boxing, but genuine blows!’

Vieholawek.  ‘I would rather take my hat off to a Jew than to Wolf!’