ilot, a mutinous crew
and a crazy captain.

The moral seems to be that the tragedy of existence lies in interposing
that newly discovered thing called intellect into the delicate affairs
of life, instead of having faith in God, and moving serenely with the
eternal tide.

Moses struck the rock, and the waters gushed forth; but if Moses had
found a spring in the desert and then toiled mightily to smother it with
a mountain of arid sand, I doubt me much whether the name of Moses
would now live as one of the saviors of the world.

Parties with an eczema for management would do well to butt their heads
three times against the wall and take note that the wall falls not. Then
and then only are they safe from Megalocephalia. There are temptations
in life that require all of one's will to succumb to; and he who resists
not the current of his being, nor attempts to dam the fountain of life
for another, shall be crowned with bay and be fed on ambrosia in
Elysium.

[Illustration: LASSALLE]

* * * * *

ACT ONE

_Scene:_ Parlors of Herr and Frau Holthoff at their home in Berlin.

[An informal conference of the leading members of the Allied
Workingmen's Clubs. Present various ladies and gentlemen, some
seated, others standing, talking.]

_Enter DOCTOR HAENLE_

HERR HOLTHOFF. Hello, Comrade Haenle! I am very glad to see you here.

DOCTOR HAENLE. Not more glad than I am to be here.

[They shake hands cordially, all around.]

HERR HOLTHOFF. [_To his wife_] My dear, you see Doctor Haenle has
come--I win my bet!

DOCTOR HAENLE. I hope you two have not been gambling!

FRAU HOLTHOFF. Yes, Doctor, we made a bet, and I am delighted to lose!

DOCTOR HAENLE. You mystify me!

HERR HOLTHOFF. Well, the fact is that Madame had a dream in which you
played a part; she thought you had been--what is that word, my dear?

FRAU HOLTHOFF. Expatriated.

HERR HOLTHOFF. Yes, expatriated--sent out of the country for the
country's good.

DOCTOR HAENLE. It would be a great compliment!

HERR HOLTHOFF. Very true; you could then join our own Richard Wagner in
Switzerland!

DOCTOR HAENLE. Could I but write such songs as he does, I would relish
the fate!

FRAU HOLTHOFF. But the people who sent him into exile never guessed that
they were giving him the leisure to write immortal music.

DOCTOR HAENLE. People who persecute other people never know what they
do.

HERR HOLTHOFF. It isn