Yes, yes, we all know what that means. They send a gentleman that knows all about it already better nor if he had seen it, an' he goes about a bit in the village where the brook flows broad an' the best houses is. He don't want to dirty his shinin' boots. Thinks he to hisself: All the rest'll be the same as this. An' so he steps into his carriage, an' drives away home again, an' then writes to Berlin that there's no distress in the place at all. If he had but taken the trouble to go higher up into a village like that, to where the stream comes in, or across the stream on to the narrow side--or, better still, if he'd gone up to the little out-o'-the-way hovels on the hill above, some of 'em that black an' tumble-down as it would be the waste of a good match to set fire to 'em--it's another kind o' report he'd have sent to Berlin. They should ha' come to me, these government gentlemen that wouldn't believe there was no distress here. I would ha' shown 'em something. I'd have opened their eyes for 'em in some of these starvation holes. [_The strains of the Weavers' Song are heard, sung outside._ WELZEL There they are, roaring at that devil's song again. WIEGAND They're turning the whole place upside down. MRS. WELZEL You'd think there was something in the air. _JAEGER and BECKER arm in arm, at the head of a troop of young weavers, march noisily through the outer room and enter the bar._ JAEGER Halt! To your places! [_The new arrivals sit down at the various tables, and begin to talk to other weavers already seated there._ HORNIG [_Calls out to BECKER._] What's up now, Becker, that you've got together a crowd like this? BECKER [_Significantly._] Who knows but something may be goin' to happen? Eh, Moritz? HORNIG Come, come, lads. Don't you be a-gettin' of yourselves into mischief. BECKER Blood's flowed already. Would you like to see it? [_He pulls up his sleeve and shows bleeding tattoo-marks on the upper part of his arm. Many of the other young weavers do the same._ BECKER We've been at barber Schmidt's gettin' ourselves vaccinated. HORNIG Now the thing's explained. Little wonder there's such an uproar in the place, with a band of young rapscallions like you paradin' round. JAEGER [_Consequentially, in a loud voice._] You may bring two quarts at once, Welzel! I pay. Perhaps you think I haven't got the needful. You're wrong, then. If we wanted we could sit an' drink your best brandy an' swill coffee till to-morrow morning with any bagman in the land. [_Laughter among the young weavers._ TRAVELLER [_Affecting comic surprise._] Is the young gentleman kind enough to take notice of me? [_Host, hostess, and their daughter, WIEGAND, and the TRAVELLER all laugh._ JAEGER If the cap fits, wear it. TRAVELLER Your affairs seem to be in a thriving condition, young man, if I may be allowed to say so. JAEGER