COLONEL.

"One may be in doubt as to whether the naïveté of the contributor is comical or tragical, but at all events he has no right to join in the discussion"—[Throwing down the paper.] Oh, that is contemptible! It is a low trick!

Enter IDA and OLDENDORF from the garden.

SENDEN (aside).

Now comes the cloud-burst!

COLONEL.

Professor, your newspaper is making progress. To bad principles is now added something else—baseness.

IDA (frightened).

Father!

OLDENDORF (coming forward).