se one must now and then look up
those books oneself to find them. At the same time, however, one then
has the advantage of being able to quote them. There is a difficult
passage in Pausanias.

FISCHER.

You were going to be kind enough to speak of the cat.

BOeTTICH.

Why, yes; and I only meant to say all the preceding by the
way, hence I beg you most earnestly to consider it as a note; and, to
return to the cat, have you noticed, I wonder, that he is not one of
those black cats? No, on the contrary, he is almost entirely white and
has only a few black spots; that expresses his good-nature
excellently; moreover, the theme of the whole play, all the emotions
to which it should appeal, are suggested in this very fur.

LEUTNER.

That is true.

FISCHER.

The curtain is going up again!

ACT II

_Room in a peasant's house_

GOTTLIEB, HINZE. _Both are sitting at a small table and eating_.

GOTTLIEB.

Did it taste good?

HINZE.

Very good, very fine.

GOTTLIEB.

But now my fate must soon be determined, for otherwise I do
not know what I am to do.

HINZE.

Just have patience a few days longer; why, good fortune must
have some time to grow; who would expect to become happy all of a
sudden, so to speak? My good man, that happens only in books; in the
world of reality things do not move so quickly.

FISCHER.

Now just listen, the cat dares to speak of the world of
reality! I feel almost like going home, for I'm afraid I shall go mad.

LEUTNER.

It looks almost as if that is what the writer intended.

MUeLLER.

A splendid kind of artistic enjoyment, to be mad, I must
admit!

GOTTLIEB.

If I only knew, dear Hinze, how you have come by this amount
of experience, this intelligence!

HINZE.

Are you, then, under the impression that it is in vain one lies
for days at the stove with one's eyes tight shut? I always kept
studying there quietly. In secret and unobserved does the power of the
intelligence grow; hence it is a sign that one has made the least
progress when one sometimes has a mind to crane one's neck around as
far as possible, so as to look back at the ground one has already
covered. Now do be kind enough to untie my napkin.

GOTTLIEB (_does it_).

A blessing on good food! (_They kiss._) Content
yourself with that.

HINZE.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

GOTTLIEB.

The boots fit very nicely, and you have a charming little
foot.

HINZE.

That is only be