Page:Poet Lore, volume 35, 1924.pdf/388

 would have saved himself. Look at that Baron Siegdorf! He is a clever fellow! He won out! But this doctor here! These educated people are seldom as keen as they should be.

Dub.—That is true. It is his own fault.

Prochazka.—Expenses on every hand, nonsense of all sorts and this is the way it ended.

Dub.—He built a new school for the people in the village. And he used to waste his time running off to Prague and Vienna as a representative of the people.

Dub.—And that family—they certainly made a show! (Enter .)

Prochazka.—And now they are off at one side in two rooms, (pointing to the left), and nobody sees or hears anything of them.

Dub.—The old lady and the children leave tomorrow, so we hear. Is it true, Mr. Johanes?

Servant (Who has also seated himself at the table).—Even today it seems. Nana was saying to me that they are packing their few belongings now.

Dub.—I wonder when the old doctor will return. He will see some strange sights when he gets back.

Prochazka.—The fool! He is reaping just as he sowed. That bank in Vienna was offering him more than the value of his estate—he might have grabbed with all ten fingers. But even with that doctor’s title, he is still a stupid man. He would not take the offer.

Dub.—I believe he is not quite right here, (pointing to his forehead.) A sane man would have acted differently.

Servant (Mysteriously).—If I only dared to talk!

Prochazka, Dub, Cizek.—What is it? What did you say?

Servant.—Nothing except that his five senses are not all there, as they should be. The old lady told him so before he went away. Gentlemen, that was a scene! One could hear them over the whole corridor!

Dub.—What did she say to him?

Servant.—She told him plainly that he was crazy that she would have him put in the asylum at Prague!

Dub.—He went to Prague on account of the election—is it not true?

Servant.—Exactly. He wanted to vote, to be a representative, that is why he would not sell out.

Dub.—And how did the election go?

Servant.—It is all in the papers. The other side won.