Wolf discharges a galling remark at Mr. Wohlmeyer.
Wohlmeyer (responding). ‘You Jew, you!’
There is a moment’s lull, and Dr. Lueger begins his speech. Graceful, handsome man, with winning manners and attractive bearing, a bright and easy speaker, and is said to know how to trim his political sails to catch any favouring wind that blows. He manages to say a few words, then the tempest overwhelms him again.
Wolf stops reading his paper a moment to say a drastic thing about Lueger and his Christian-Social pieties, which sets the C.S.S. in a sort of frenzy.
Mr. Vielohlawek. ‘You leave the Christian Socialists alone, you word-of-honour-breaker! Obstruct all you want to, but you leave them alone! You’ve no business in this House; you belong in a gin-mill!’
Mr. Prochazka. ‘In a lunatic-asylum, you mean!’
Vielohlawek. ‘It’s a pity that such a man should be leader of the Germans; he disgraces the German name!’
Dr. Scheicher. ‘It’s a shame that the like of him should insult us.’
Strohbach (to Wolf). ‘Contemptible cub—we will bounce thee out of this!’ (It is inferable that the ‘thee’ is not intended to indicate affection this time, but to re-enforce and emphasise Mr. Storhbach’s scorn.)
Dr. Scheicher. ‘His insults are of no consequence. He wants his ears boxed.’