had my attack again. Have the rabbit taken out of my sight. (_He lays
his head on the table, full of grief, and sobs._)

COURTIER.

His majesty suffers much.

[_Violent stamping and whistling in the pit; they cough, they hiss;
those in the gallery laugh; the king gets up, arranges his cloak and
sits down majestically with his sceptre. It is all in vain; the noise
continues to increase, all the actors forget their parts, a terrible
pause on the stage. HINZE has climbed up a pillar. The author appears
on the stage, overcome._]

AUTHOR.

Gentlemen--most honorable public--just a few words!

IN THE PIT.

Quiet! Quiet! The fool wishes to speak!

AUTHOR.

For the sake of heaven, do not disgrace me thus; why, the act
will be over directly. Just look, the king, too, is again calmed; take
an example from this great soul which certainly has more reason to be
vexed than you.

FISCHER.

More than we?

WIESENER (_to his neighbor_).

But I wonder why you are stamping? We
two like the play, do we not?

NEIGHBOR.

That's true too--absent-mindedly, because they're all doing
it. (_Claps with might and main._)

AUTHOR.

A few voices are still favorable to me, however. For pity, do
put up with my poor play; a rogue gives more than he has, and it will
be over soon, too. I am so confused and frightened that I can think
of nothing else to say to you.

ALL.

We want to hear nothing, know nothing.

AUTHOR (_raging, drags the peacemaker forward_).

The king is calmed,
now calm this raging flood too, if you can. (_Beside himself, rushes
off._)

[_The peacemaker plays on his bells, the stamping keeps time with the
melody; he motions; monkeys and bears appear and dance fondly around
him. Eagles and other birds. An eagle sits on the head of HINZE who is
very much afraid; two elephants, two lions. Ballet and singing._]

THE FOUR-FOOTED ANIMALS.

That sounds so beautiful!

THE BIRDS.

That sounds so lovely!

CHORUS TOGETHER.

Never have I seen or heard the like!

[_Hereupon an artistic quadrille is danced by all present, the king
and his court retinue are taken into the centre, HINZE and JACKPUDDING
not excluded; general applause. Laughter; people standing up in pit to
see better; several hats fall down from the gallery._]

THE PEACEMAKER (_sings during the ballet and the audience's general
expression of pleasure_).

Could only all good men
Soft bells like these discover
Each enemy would then