Gran. Give her your pipe; she will put it right.
Koll. What I have always said is that, if the King had an opportunity of understanding the situation, he would interfere.
Flink. The King? He doesn't care a brass farthing about the whole matter! He has something else to do! Ha, ha!
The King. Ha, ha, ha!
Koll. The King is an unusually gifted man; he would not remain indifferent in the long run.
Flink. He has so many unusual gifts that have gone to the devil—!
The King. Tralalla! Tralalalalala! Tralala! It feels quite odd to be with you fellows again! (Drinks.)
Flink (in an undertone, to GRAN). Is he drunk?
The King (sitting down). Give me a cigar—! And let us discuss the matter a little more seriously. (KOLL and GRAN sit down.)
Gran. As a matter of fact, it is not a thing that can be discussed. It must be tried. If, one day, the King were to say: "I mean to live a natural life among my people, and to withdraw my name from the old-established royal firm, which has lost all its reputation for honesty"—that day everything else would follow of itself.