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Rh opportunity of asking his question in tones of unspeakable triumph. "Will the witness state with what kind of women he has had the personal intercourse from which he derives his knowledge of family life. Does he not frequent a certain establishment known in the vernacular as Tittle Berlin'?" As he was speaking he made sure that the ladies in the audience and the judges also, were giving looks of disgust. The chief witness for the defence was ruined! Heuteufel tried to answer. "You probably know that better than any one else. We must have met there many a time." But that only resulted in a fine of fifty marks being imposed by Sprezius. Finally the judge decided: "The witness must remain in court. He is required for further elucidation of the facts of the case." Heuteufel declared: "As far as I am concerned, this business here is sufficiently elucidated, and I would prefer to leave." At once his fine of fifty marks was raised to one hundred.

Wolfgang Buck looked about uneasily. His lips seemed to taste the mood of the court. He drew them back as if that mood were expressed in the remarkable smell which had again arisen since the window was closed. Buck saw that the sympathy which had accompanied him there was dulled and destroyed, that his weapons were wasted. And the yawning faces drawn with hunger, the impatience of the judges who were eyeing the clock, all boded him no good. He jumped up to save what could still be rescued! He assumed an energetic tone as he moved that witnesses be called for the afternoon session. "Since the Public Prosecutor systematically doubts (the credibility of our witnesses, we are prepared to prove the good name of the accused by means of the most prominent citizens of Netzig. No less person than his Honour Mayor Scheffelweis will testify to the services which the accused has rendered the city. Governor von Wulckow could not refuse to bear witness to his sense of civic and national duty. "Well, I never!" said the formidable basso from the empty space behind. Buck steadied his voice.