(Card room in Beermann's house. In the background a swinging door opens into the dining room. To the right a smaller door leads to the music room. On the left side another door opens into the entrance hall. To left upstage in a corner a small card table with chairs. To right upstage a large sofa and comfortable chairs. Parallel to background down stage, tea table with coffee service thereon; near it to right, smaller table, on it a humidor. A butler is engaged at the tea table, another man servant is holding swinging door open. [Business of getting up from table.] Many voices and rattle of chairs are heard from dining room. Through swinging doors enters Bolland and Frau Beermann, Beermann with Frau Bolland, Dr. Hauser with Effie, Dr. Wasner with Fraulein Koch-Pinneberg, Dobler alone.) General greeting of "Mahlzeit." Dr. Wasner is vigorously shaking hands--going to Frau Beermann says, "Ich wunsche Gesegnete Mahlzeit." The servants pass around coffee--Beermann conversing with Bolland comes down stage ... BOLLAND. You will receive two thousand votes more than the Socialists. That's certain. BEERMANN [skeptical]. No,--no. BOLLAND. If all the Liberals combine with the Conservatives, the result cannot be in doubt. BEERMANN [taking coffee from the servant]. If ... BOLLAND. Fusion is here. It's the logical development. I am an old politician. The time for discussion is over. Now it's a straight fight to a finish. DR. WASNER [coming nearer]. The German fatherland is rallying to the support of the national flag. BEERMANN. But there are controversies everywhere. I know best. I always am told by campaign managers: don't say this and don't say that. BOLLAND. In what way? BEERMANN. For instance, I'm to speak at the Liberal Club the day after to-morrow. You would not expect me to say the same things I told the Conservatives last night ...? BOLLAND. Your details, of course, must differ. But fundamentally it amounts to the same thing. BEERMANN. The same thing? Believe me, all this masking confuses me. [Drinks.] EFFIE [calling across the tea table where she has been standing with others]. Papa! Listen to Frau Bolland. She also says that the Indian Dancer is so interesting. FRAU BOLLAND. Positively won--derful, Herr Bolland! You can conceive the entire spirit of the Orient. EFFIE. Why haven't we gone to see her? FRAU BOLLAND. You surely ought to go. Professor Stohr--you know him--told me he never in his life saw anything so gorgeous. FRAULEIN KOCH-PINNEBERG. She's so picturesque in her greenish gowns. FRAU BOLLAND. I did not know that the Hindoos could be so charming. BEERMANN. We'll have a look at her some night. EFFIE. But to-morrow night is her last appearance. BEERMANN [going to the humidor]. Very well darling. Will you remind me of it to-morrow? [Taking a box of cigars offers one to Dobler who is standing near him.] Smoke? DOBLER [taking one]. Thanks. But I am not accustomed to the imported ones.