erhaps--[Alarmed.] Surely no one has been listening to what I said? Ah!
here comes the great man's relative.

[Enter Relative.]

RELATIVE. Good morning, Shoemaker. Have you heard--have you heard of the
scurrilous attack?

SHOEMAKER. What now? What's up, Herr Relative?

RELATIVE. A reformer has come to the city; haven't you read his
broad-sheet?

SHOEMAKER. No, no!

RELATIVE. Oh, it is unprecedented--read for yourself!

SHOEMAKER. I'm too agitated to read; you read it.

RELATIVE. Then listen to what the scoundrel writes: "A quarter of a
century has hardly elapsed since Burgomaster Schulze gladdened this
community with weighty improvements as regards its street paving, by
giving us in place of the old sand-ground rough cobble stones." Do you
hear! Do you hear!

SHOEMAKER. Yes, I hear. But that was not very alarming.

RELATIVE. Not alarming! Doesn't he call him Burgomaster Schulze? One
does not say burgomaster of a dead man--one says Our Illustrious--Does
not the wretch write about rough cobble stones? Does he not attempt with
that to undermine _his_ worth?

SHOEMAKER. But one cannot call it an attack, if he says that cobble
stones are rough when they are rough.

RELATIVE. Of course they are rough, but one must not say that they are
when a great man is responsible for them. Have a care, Master Shoemaker!
I see that you are a sceptic. Have a care--you know the consequences!

SHOEMAKER. For God's sake, I'm no sceptic! Haven't I been standing here
chanting odes to brother Schulze?

RELATIVE. Brother! If you were a brother to him in life, please remember
that all titles are annulled by death. Will you admit that this is an
attack?

SHOEMAKER. Of course I will--Have I said anything to the contrary? Can
you prove that I said anything to the contrary?

RELATIVE. No; but be careful! We hold Common Council here on the square
at nine o'clock, when that reformer will speak for his cause. Do you
know what he wants?

SHOEMAKER. No.

RELATIVE. Can you imagine it! He wants to repave all our streets with
flagstones.

SHOEMAKER. But that's rather considerate of him.

RELATIVE. [Laughs ironically.] Considerate? Oh, very! How will it
go, for example just to mention your calling--how will it go with the
precious shoemaking trade when the people no longer wear out any shoes?

SHOEMAKER. What--what say you? Forgive me, my friend, but you are right.
However, I'm not thinking of my humble calling, but of all the poor