Beermann [he leaves his seat, comes forward, right].  A diary?

Bolland [drops his cards and rises].  What sort of a diary?

Hauser.  Oh!  Just a naughty little inventory of all of her visitors.

Beermann.  What is the name of the lady?

Hauser.  Some French name which sounds to me like rouge.

Beermann.  I can’t understand how you could forget her name.

Bolland.  I can’t either as long as you seem to know all about it.

Frau Beermann [to Beermann].  But, Fritz, why should you worry about it?

Beermann.  Well ... am I the President of the Vice Suppression
Society or, am I not ...?

CURTAIN

ACT II

(An office at Police Headquarters.  To rear on the left stands the Assessor’s desk.  To the right against the wall, the desk of Reisacher, the police clerk.  Left front is a sofa with two chairs.  On the right wall is a telephone.  Side entrance left.  Another entrance in the middle.  Stroebel and Reisacher are seated with their backs to one another.  Stroebel is reading a newspaper; Reisacher is writing.  Short pause.)

Stroebel [half turning].  Reisacher!

Reisacher [also turning].  Yes, Herr Assessor.[Footnote:  An assessor is a petty police official.]

Stroebel.  Are you familiar with the expression “those higher up”?

Reisacher.  Yes, Herr Assessor.

Stroebel.  What do you understand by it?

Reisacher.  Those are the folks who are something and have money somewhere.

Stroebel.  Is it used to express contempt or class hatred?

Reisacher [eagerly].  Well ... well!  “The higher ups” are respected.

Stroebel.  Are you certain?

Reisacher.  Absolutely.

[They both turn around to their former positions; Stroebel continues to read, and Reisacher to write.  Short pause.]

Stroebel [half turning].  Reisacher!

Reisacher [does likewise].  Yes, Herr Assessor.

Stroebel.  After all, it means class hatred.

Reisacher.  No, no.

Stroebel.  Pay attention.  Here it says [he reads]:  “Of course, for those higher up there are no laws.”  That means, I take it, that the rich are beyond the control of the law.  By “control of the law,” I wish you to understand I am attacking the humiliating and anarchistic notion that the law does not apply equally to rich and poor.  Also I want to besmirch the rich, by designating them by a slang expression.

Reisacher.  Yes, Herr Assessor.

Stroebel.  Then how can you say it does not express class hatred and contempt?

Reisacher.  Because, then again, you see, people who have money are respected anyway.