The Priest. It is written: "Thou shalt obey God rather than man"! My dear parishioners, let us all leave this meeting! Who will follow his priest? (Takes a few steps towards the door, but no one follows him. Laughter. He sighs deeply, and sits down again.) Koll. If no one else wishes to speak-- Vinaeger. Mr. Chairman! Koll. Mr. Vinaeger wishes to speak. Vinaeger. These proceedings remind me of China, and of the Chinese mandarins who will not allow any one of lesser degree to come near them--although at moments I have felt as if I were still in Europe in the presence of a still greater power, greater even than the Grand Turk--I mean this democratic envy which grudges others what it has not got itself. To reconcile both parties I should like to make the following suggestion. Build the carriages, as is often done, in two stories. Then those who wish to ensure their privacy can do so by sitting upstairs; and the others will be satisfied too, because they will all be in the same carriage after all. (Loud laughter.) Koll. If no one else wishes to speak (looks at GRAN, who shakes his head) I shall proceed to put the question to the vote. The motion submitted by the directors, which is now before the meeting, is as follows-- The Mayor. Excuse me, but what of my motion wit h regard to a saloon for his Majesty? Koll. I did not understand your worship to mean your suggestion as a formal motion. The Mayor. I did, though. Koll. Then I will put it to the vote after the director, motion has been voted upon. The Mayor. A motion that concerns the King should take precedence of all others. Koll. Even the King is subject to the rules of logic. The directors' motion is: "That only one class of railway carriage shall be purchased, of a type slightly more comfortable than the ordinary third-class carriage." Will those in favour of the motion kindly go to the left--on this side of the room; those against the motion, to the right. (Nearly all go to the left. Cheers are heard outside, and are gradually taken up by those inside. KOLL hammers with his mallet.) Order, please! (The cheering ceases, but an animated conversation goes on.) The directors' motion is carried! The Mayor (shouting). I am sure every one did not understand the method of voting! Koll (hammering with his mallet). Order, order. (Quiet is gradually restored.) What did your worship say? The Mayor. That some people must have misunderstood the way of voting; because I see my daughter Natalie, who is a shareholder too, on the other side of the room. Of course she has made a mistake. Natalie. Oh no, father, I haven't. (Loud laughter, and applause.) The Priest. Ah, my poor deluded parishioners, I shall pray for you! The Mayor. Order!--The Mayor's motion-- Alstad. I would suggest that the Mayor should withdraw it. We know what its fate would be in such a meeting as this.