"This is a very democratic affair," said the Regierungsrath, as he pledged the Kreisgerichtsrath in a glass of Madeira. "My son-in-law enjoys that; I do not like losing myself thus amongst subordinates."
"My old friend," replied the other, "what harm have those two innocent Secretaries, who enjoy their life here, done to you? You can never take the cap-button, of which Herr von Blanden told us so amusingly, with you into the bath below."
"You are an incorrigible democrat," replied Kalzow, annoyed.
Spirits still rose; the attornies begged the young ladies for dances under the pear tree. One of them had invited the seven Fräuleins von Baute, one after another, and had their names written down upon his dancing-card; his friends designated him the possessor of the seven evil spirits.
Father Baute, meanwhile, had forced young Doctor Reising into a corner, and declared to him, with elevated champagne glass, that he now boldly challenged the latter to any discussion, as his ideas stepped more briskly than ever across the threshold of consciousness, while Reising, on the contrary, also excited by wine, protested in permitting himself the daring utterance that consciousness has no threshold, because it has not been made by any carpenter, and indeed that mode of philosophising always caused him to imagine himself transported to some mental timber yard, as, for example, when the formation of ideas was talked of.
But the Professor became beside himself; with a wide sweeping movement, he dashed the champagne glass into pieces against the wall.
"You say that to a disciple of Herbart; incredible!"
Reising, who had long since been shocked at his own daring, hardly knew how to shield himself from the Professor's furious wrath.
Euphrasia, whose entire future threatened to fall into broken potsherds, approached the opponents, wringing her hands.
Doctor Kuhl's interposition was more powerful; he thrust his Herculean form between them.