Those Bernau brewers had best have a care--I may pay an unexpected visit to their brewery. How about the white smock I ordered? EVERSMANN. Ready, at hand. KING. When the meeting is over--you know what I have planned EVERSMANN. Everything is ready for Your Majesty. KING. You may go now. The door is to be opened at the stroke of ten. EVERSMANN. Yes, Your Majesty. [_He goes out_.] [_The_ KING _walks to the window, remaining there for a few moments. There is a pause_.] KING. Light in my wife's apartments again! Three rooms illuminated where one would have been enough--and tallow so expensive now. A dozen women have been invited there tonight, and a great conspiracy is going forward, with the Prince of Wales received incognito--all to defy me. But wait a bit--I'll be with you. This day has begun weightily and shall end weightily. SCENE VI _A small clock strikes ten. The door to the right is thrown open and the members of the Tobacco-Conference come in, led by_ GRUMBKOW _and_ SECKENDORF. _There are about ten of them besides the principal actors. They come in solemnly, wearing their hats, carrying pipes in their mouths. Passing the_ KING _they touch their hats and remove their pipes for a moment._ HOTHAM _and the_ PRINCE of BAIREUTH _come last of all. The_ KING _stands to the left and lets the procession move past him toward the right of the room._ GRUMBKOW (_with the prescribed greeting_). Good evening, Your Majesty. KING. Good evening, Grumbkow. SECKENDORF. Good evening, Your Majesty. KING. Good evening, Seckendorf. COUNT SCHWERIN. Good evening, Your Majesty. KING. Good evening, Schwerin. Does it taste good? SCHWERIN. Fine! Thanks, Your Majesty. COUNT WARTENSLEBEN. Good evening, Your Majesty. KING. Good evening, Wartensleben. Pipe draw well? WARTENSLEBEN. Yes. Thanks, Your Majesty. [_He moves past the_ KING _. The others pass one after the other, or sometimes several at once, with similar greetings_.] KING. Take your seats, gentlemen--no formalities--free choice--the smoke of war levels all rank. GRUMBKOW. But the subject, Your Majesty, the subject promised for this evening? KING. Ha, ha! The target? There it comes. [HOTHAM _and the_ PRINCE OF BAIREUTH _come in_.] ALL. The Prince of Baireuth? PRINCE. Good evening. KING. Right, oh! Prince, that you are come. Now, at least, you will have something good about my family to tell them in Rheinsberg. [_Aside_.] Spy! [_Aloud_.] But your pipe is cold. PRINCE (_with suppressed anger_). I am hoping that I may find fire enough here. [_The company sit down, the_ KING _and_ GRUMBKOW _at one end of the table,_ HOTHAM _and the_ PRINCE _at the other_.] KING. Lay on, gentlemen--there stand the care-chasers. SECKENDORF. To His Majesty's health! KING. No, let us rather drink, after such a day of annoyance and sorrow--let us rather drink to cheer, jollity, and a happy turn of wit!