My poor Colonel! Injured vanity is hard at work in his faithful soul. And Ida. [Gently opens the door on the left, remains standing.] She is writing. It is not difficult to guess to whom. [Closes the door.] And for all of this mischief that evil spirit Journalism is to blame. Everybody complains of it, and every one tries to use it for his own ends. My Colonel scorned newspaper men until he became one himself, and Senden misses no opportunity of railing at my good friends of the pen, merely because he wishes to put himself in their place. I see Piepenbrink and myself becoming journalists, too, and combining to edit a little sheet under the title of Naughty Bolz. So the Union is in danger of being secretly sold. It might be quite a good thing for Conrad: he would then have to think of something else besides the newspaper. Ah! the rogue would start a new one at once!
Enter OLDENDORF and CARL.
OLDENDORF (while still outside of the room).
And the Colonel will receive no one?
CARL.
No one, Professor. [Exit.]
ADELAIDE (going up to OLDENDORF).
Dear Professor, this is not just the right moment for you to come. We are very much hurt and out of sorts with the world, but most of all with you.
OLDENDORF.
I am afraid you are, but I must speak to him.