(_The judges put their heads together. After some time the Chairman announces that the court rejects the arguments of the defence as irrelevant, and demands the cross-examination of the witness._) _Chairman._ Freiherr von Beust! Not related to the accused? _Witness._ No. _Chairman._ Not in his service? _Witness._ No. _Chairman._ In his fifth letter the _Kleinstädter_ quoted a long telegram with the signature of your Excellency, which your Excellency was said to have addressed to the diplomatic representatives at the _Journalistentag_. Will your Excellency have the kindness to inform us as to the precise facts? _Witness._ Well, now, good friend, I’m afraid I’ll not be able to help you. I have sent a good many telegrams in my day. _Chairman._ Thank you. (_Witness leaves the stand. Chairman addresses the jury._) Provided the gentlemen of the jury have no objections to offer, I will cross-examine the other witnesses all together. Fourth, fifth, and sixth witnesses: Victor Hugo, public writer on the Isle of Guernsey; Richard Wagner, musician _in spe_, and just now in Switzerland; and third, the man who wrote the prize novel! Gentlemen! in the letters of the _Kleinstädter_ he quotes, or pretends to quote, from your writings; from you, Victor Hugo, a chapter from an unprinted novel about Barbara Ubryk, entitled, “_La nonne qui ne rit pas--mais pas du tout_.” The chapter to be headed, “Naxos, nix, nox, nux,” and beginning, “Night. Deep night, gloomy, dark. Upon the ground rotten straw. Husks and stems without fruit. In a word, straw.” From you, Mr. Wagner, he quoted verses from _Rheingold_-- “Winselnde Winde Wagalaweia! Oh Eselinde, Oh Eseleia!” From you, prize-crowned poet, the novel, _The Bloody Tragedy at the Churchyard_. Are these quotations authentic--are you the authors of the same? _Witnesses_ (_in concert_). No. (_They sit down._) _Chairman._ Has the accused anything to say for himself? _The Accused._ Nix. _Chairman._ The list of witnesses is exhausted; the representative of the plaintiff, the Crown Solicitor, has the floor.