The magistrate suddenly bent over his papers, and gave a kind of grunt. Even the policeman, in spite of his wooden official air, could not repress a smile. Patke continued:
"Then I heard the younger gentleman say, 'It serves his majesty the emperor quite right.'"
"Did he actually say, his majesty the emperor?" interrupted the magistrate.
"No," answered Patke eagerly, "I say that."
"You are only to repeat the gentleman's actual words."
"He actually did say that it served the emperor right."
"This is beyond a joke," Schrotter burst out. "Why, man, I wonder the lie does not stick in your throat and choke you!"
"I must beg you not to address the witness," said the magistrate brusquely. Then to Patke severely—"That is not what you said in your first charge."
"I was confused then; I did not recollect distinctly. But later on it came back to me."
"That is very improbable. What have you to answer, Dr. Eynhardt?"