"Now you will agree with me that we can hope to do nothing in
Halle."
"Yes, you were right, I fear, Joseph; but let us dismiss so painful a subject. We will now go to our rehearsal, and we must perform our tragedy with such care and in such a manner that the thunders of applause which we receive will reach the ears of our enemies."
The three professors were still in the room of the president, in earnest consultation.
"So this miserable Eckhof is to have what he calls a benefit to- night?" said the president.
"Two hundred students will be present," groaned Professor Heinrich.
"And our lecture halls will be empty."
"We must exert our energies and put a stop to these proceedings; it is scandalous that our students have forsaken their studies to run after these actors."
"Truly something must be done, for not only our fame but our purses are at stake."
"This evil cannot continue; we must take prompt measures to root it out," said the president. "The General Directory decided that the actors should not be expelled from Halle, unless it could be proved that they had been the occasion of some public difficulty. It is therefore necessary that such a difficulty should arise. According to Eckhof's account, there will be two hundred students at the theatre to-night. There are still, however, nearly one hundred who will not be present at his performance. Among these there must be some brave, determined, devout young men, who, in the name of God, of science, and of their teachers, would willingly enter the lists against these actors, and create a disturbance. We must employ some of these young men to visit the theatre to-night, and to groan and hiss when the other students applaud. This will be all-sufficient to raise a riot amongst these hot-blooded young men. After that, our course is plain; we have but to send in our account of the affair to the General Directory, and there will be no danger of a second refusal to our petition."
"An excellent idea!"