25. BrofessonBernad
56 PROFESSOR BERNHARDI: A PLAY
ACT V.
Office in the Minister’s Palace—Comfort¬
ably furnished. Privy Counselor Winkler,
forty-five years old. Slender young looking,
small moustache, short, blonde hair streaked
with gray, sparkling blue eyes—(The tele¬
phone rings).
Winkler: (at the telephone). Yes, Counsel¬
or Winkler—Nes, Judge—What is that?—you
don't say! Sister Ludmilla—what a strange
coineidence. Well, because today he gets out
—Professor Bernhardi—yes, just think of it!
Of course, I must tell this to His Excellency,
but, if you don't want me to—well, good-bye.
(He seems much moved. Enter Minister
Flint.)
Winkler: Permit me to tender my congrat¬
ulations. Vesterday’s speech—
Flint: The speech—a few words impro¬
vised! I did not expect you among the con¬
gratulants, I was afraid of you. Are you not
an anarchist, Counselor? Let me tell you,
that is a dangerous condition of mind to be
in. I tell you, I have made concessions. Every¬
body has to. Even anarchists like you, Counsel¬
or, eise you could not have become Counselor.
Or do you think it was easy for me to sacrifice
my old friend Bernhardi to the people?
Winkler: It must have been a satisfaction
to you when the police broke up the meeting
where Pflugfelder roasted you and the Arch¬
bishop.
—.—
box 31/8
PROFESSOR BERNHARDI: A PLAY 5
Flint: Why the Archbishop?
Winkler: Because he transferred the priest,
Reder, to a remote parish on the Polish border
Flint: And now the liberal papers are laud¬
ing Bernhardi—as a kind of a martyr, a politi¬
cal victim; as a medical Dreyfus. Did you read
the article in" The News?“ Sort of a festive
greeting to Bernhardi to celebrate his liber¬
ation from prison? That’s too much.
Winkler: Bernhardi cannot help that.
Flint: I don't know. He likes the part.
You know, when in the third week of his im¬
prisonment, you were commissioned to ask him
torequest his Majesty’s pardon?
Winkler: I tried to convince him, but on the
whole, I liked it that he did not desire any
pardon.
Flint: Well, the Government will not toler¬
ate any spirit of that kind. I should be very
sorry though, for Bernhardi acted foolishly
and has given us nothing but trouble. But, I
still feel a certain sympathy for him; can't
get rid of it.
Winkler: Friendship of early days, I pre¬
sume.
Flint: Yes, that is it, but we should be free#
from such sentimentality. In our position, we
should have no recollections, no heart; yes,
my dear Counselor, no heart.
(Enter Ebenwald.)
Ebenwald: Good-morning Excellency!
Flint: Good-morning Professor, or Direct¬
Ebdenwald: Not yet. It is possible that
Professor Bernhardi may be reelected; he has
56 PROFESSOR BERNHARDI: A PLAY
ACT V.
Office in the Minister’s Palace—Comfort¬
ably furnished. Privy Counselor Winkler,
forty-five years old. Slender young looking,
small moustache, short, blonde hair streaked
with gray, sparkling blue eyes—(The tele¬
phone rings).
Winkler: (at the telephone). Yes, Counsel¬
or Winkler—Nes, Judge—What is that?—you
don't say! Sister Ludmilla—what a strange
coineidence. Well, because today he gets out
—Professor Bernhardi—yes, just think of it!
Of course, I must tell this to His Excellency,
but, if you don't want me to—well, good-bye.
(He seems much moved. Enter Minister
Flint.)
Winkler: Permit me to tender my congrat¬
ulations. Vesterday’s speech—
Flint: The speech—a few words impro¬
vised! I did not expect you among the con¬
gratulants, I was afraid of you. Are you not
an anarchist, Counselor? Let me tell you,
that is a dangerous condition of mind to be
in. I tell you, I have made concessions. Every¬
body has to. Even anarchists like you, Counsel¬
or, eise you could not have become Counselor.
Or do you think it was easy for me to sacrifice
my old friend Bernhardi to the people?
Winkler: It must have been a satisfaction
to you when the police broke up the meeting
where Pflugfelder roasted you and the Arch¬
bishop.
—.—
box 31/8
PROFESSOR BERNHARDI: A PLAY 5
Flint: Why the Archbishop?
Winkler: Because he transferred the priest,
Reder, to a remote parish on the Polish border
Flint: And now the liberal papers are laud¬
ing Bernhardi—as a kind of a martyr, a politi¬
cal victim; as a medical Dreyfus. Did you read
the article in" The News?“ Sort of a festive
greeting to Bernhardi to celebrate his liber¬
ation from prison? That’s too much.
Winkler: Bernhardi cannot help that.
Flint: I don't know. He likes the part.
You know, when in the third week of his im¬
prisonment, you were commissioned to ask him
torequest his Majesty’s pardon?
Winkler: I tried to convince him, but on the
whole, I liked it that he did not desire any
pardon.
Flint: Well, the Government will not toler¬
ate any spirit of that kind. I should be very
sorry though, for Bernhardi acted foolishly
and has given us nothing but trouble. But, I
still feel a certain sympathy for him; can't
get rid of it.
Winkler: Friendship of early days, I pre¬
sume.
Flint: Yes, that is it, but we should be free#
from such sentimentality. In our position, we
should have no recollections, no heart; yes,
my dear Counselor, no heart.
(Enter Ebenwald.)
Ebenwald: Good-morning Excellency!
Flint: Good-morning Professor, or Direct¬
Ebdenwald: Not yet. It is possible that
Professor Bernhardi may be reelected; he has