ou I can
recall all the faces I loved as distinctly as if I had a pair of
perfect eyes in my head--" he felt for the hand of the blushing girl
and pressed it to his lips. "And now," he said, "enough about my
respected self. Since we last saw one another the most wonderful events
have come to pass. The German empire and the German emperor! Good God,
we praise Thee! Do you know, since all this happened I have begun to
have some hope for the German stage again?"

"At all events, your colleagues have learned how to play the _role_ of
heroes respectably well, without opening their mouths wide, rolling
their eyes, and sawing the air with their arms and legs."

"No, but seriously, do you remember our first conversation on this
subject, my dear baron? Now just see whether I haven't cause for hope.
Our want of unity was chiefly to blame for the wretched state of our
stage. Imagine thirty-six court-theatres fighting with one another for
the few actors who really have talent. Now, my idea is that, when they
have become a little sick of military spectacles up there in the
imperial capital, they will arrive at the conclusion that a great
nation also needs a national theatre; not one in name, but one which
shall really unite all the best talents. A model manager, a model
repertoire, and model performances, not given oftener than, at the
most, two days running; and not with one eye on Melpomene and Thalia,
and the other on the cash-box, so that a miserable clap-trap piece will
be allowed to remain on the desecrated boards thirty consecutive
nights, merely because a few actresses change their dresses seven times
in the course of the performance. Only the very choicest pieces must be
selected, from the classical and modern stock, and the parts must be
filled only by the strongest actors. All real talent must be engaged at
any price, though there should be three Franz Moors and Ophelias
playing against one another at the same time; and the whole must be
emancipated from all court influence, and regarded as an imperial
affair under the charge of the Minister of Culture, who should be
responsible to the nation. What do you say to such a stage?"

"That it will continue to be too fine for this world for some time to
come," answered Schnetz. "But who knows? Even this world can improve;
we have seen how it has done in other fields. I only fear that, even
under the most favorable circumstances, the other Germans will
respectfully decline to