ASHER. Never in my life have I regarded my possessions as my own. I am a trustee.
DR. JONATHAN. The sole trustee.
ASHER. Under God.
DR. JONATHAN. And you have God's proxy. Well, it seems to me that that is a very delightful arrangement, Asher—William appears to approve of it, too.
ASHER. William? William who?
DR. JONATHAN. William Hohenzollern.
ASHER. You compare me to the Kaiser!
DR. JONATHAN. Only in so far as you have in common a certain benevolence, Asher. Wouldn't your little plan, if your workmen accepted it, keep you in as a benevolent autocrat?
ASHER. Me? an autocrat?
DR. JONATHAN. You are preparing to give your men more privileges, and perhaps more money on the condition that they will renounce rights to which they are entitled as free men. You are ready to grant anything but a constitution. So is William.