TRUCHSZ. My prince and lord, will you vouchsafe that we
Likewise betake ourselves a moment thither?
ELECTOR. Whither? The City Hall?
HOHENZOLLERN. The lords' assemblage.
We gave our word of honor to appear.
ELECTOR (after a short pause).
You are dismissed!
GOLZ. Come, follow, gentlemen!
[The officers go out.]
SCENE II
The ELECTOR. Later, two footmen.
ELECTOR. Most curious! Were I the Dey of Tunis
I'd sound alarm at such a dubious move,
Lay on my desk despair's thin silken cord,
And at my palisaded castle-gate
Set up my heavy guns and howitzers.
But since it's just Hans Kottwitz from the Priegnitz
Who marches on me of his own sweet will
I'll treat the matter in the Mark's own way;
Of the three curls that gleam so silvery
On his old skull, I'll take firm hold of one
And lead him calmly with his squadrons twelve
To Arnstein, his headquarters, back again.
Why wake the city from its slumber thus?
[He goes to the window a moment, then returns to the table and rings a bell. Two lackeys enter.]