FRAULEIN KOCH-PINNEBERG. I can just picture it. Tramping along the railroad tracks. DOBLER. Yes. You folks think you can picture it with four square meals a day. But it's quite different, I assure you. There were three of us at that time. We worked our way from Basel upwards--sometimes on the left--sometimes on the right bank of the Rhine. In Worms we spent the last of our money and we had to PEDDLE for HAND-OUTS. FRAU BOLLAND [not understanding him]. "Handouts?" What is that? DOBLER [with pathos]. To beg for something to eat, gnadige Frau, for our daily bread. [They all remain silent. Only the voice of the butler who is serving liqueur can be heard.] "Cognac monsieur! Chartreuse! Champagne?" BEERMANN [taking a glass]. To a man of refinement, such an existence must have been quite unbearable. DOBLER [taking a glass of cognac from the butler]. Unpleasant. [Drinking.] But you lose your sensitiveness. At first it is hard--but one learns. In one hot day on the road ... when you get fagged out--and with every stone hurting your feet--you'll learn. The dust blinds you--but you've got to go on just the same. In the evening you come to a small hamlet with smoke curling above the house-tops and the houses themselves look cozy--then you have to hold your hat in your hand and beg for a plate of warm soup. [A short pause.] DR. WASNER [deep bass voice]. Home sweet home! BOLLAND. The story reminds me exactly of my late father. FRAU BOLLAND. But, Adolph! BOLLAND. Indeed, I say it does! FRAU BOLLAND. How can you draw such a comparison? Herr Dobler has become a celebrated poet. BOLLAND. My father also achieved something in life. At his funeral four hundred employees followed the coffin. FRAU BOLLAND [impatiently]. We've heard that before ... Herr Dobler, did you write poetry in those days? DOBLER. No, Frau Bolland. Much later. FRAU BOLLAND. I'll have to read your novel all over again, now that I know it is all autobiographical. FRAU BEERMANN [to Dr. Wasner]. You were going to sing, Herr Professor? DR. WASNER. I promised ... FRAU BEERMANN. Yes, do, Effie will accompany you. DR. WASNER. If Fraulein will be so kind ... but I don't know how my voice is to-day ... FRAU BOLLAND. You sing so beauti-ful-ly. DR. WASNER. So much campaign work. Politics corrupts even the voice. FRAULEIN KOCH-PINNEBERG. Do oblige us. [Frau Bolland, Frau Beermann, Dr. Wasner, Fraulein Koch, Effie go out into the music room.] BEERMANN. It's a pity that the professor is going to sing. We could have started a game of skat. Have some more cognac? DR. HAUSER. No, thanks. DOBLER. Thanks. No more for me. [Bolland seats himself on sofa; Dr. Hauser and Dobler sit in chairs; Beermann lights a fresh cigar. The butler goes into the music room and as he opens the door, the sound of the piano is heard.] BOLLAND. As I said before Herr Dobler, your story reminded me very much of my late father. DR. HAUSER. Of the well known Kommerzienrat Bolland?