LZ. Long live Piepenbrink!

PIEPENBRINK. So, old chum! Shall I tell you what! Since we are having
so good a time I think we'll leave all these people to their own
devices, and all of you come home with me. I'll brew a punch and we'll
sit together as merrily as jackdaws. I'll escort you, Conrad, and the
rest of you go ahead.

SENDEN _(and guests)_. But do listen, _revered_ Mr. Piepenbrink!

PIEPENBRINK. I'll listen to nothing. I'm done with you!

_Enter_ BELLMAUS _and other guests_.

BELLMAUS _(hurrying through the crowd_). Here I am!

BOLZ. My nephew! Gracious Madam, I put him under your protection!
Nephew, you escort Madam Piepenbrink. (MRS. PIEPENBRINK _takes a firm
grip on_ BELLMAUS'S _arm and holds him securely. Polka behind the
scene.)_ Farewell, gentlemen, it's beyond your power to spoil our good
humor. There, the music is striking up! We march off in a jolly
procession, and again I cry in conclusion, Long live Piepenbrink!

THE DEPARTING ONES. Long live Piepenbrink! _[They march off in
triumph_. FRITZ KLEINMICHEL _and his fiancee,_ KAeMPE _with_
KLEINMICHEL, MRS. PIEPENBRINK _with_ BELLMAUS, _finally_ BOLZ _with_
PIEPENBRINK.]

_Enter_ COLONEL.

COLONEL. What's going on here?

SENDEN. An outrageous scandal! The _Union_ has kidnapped our two most
important voters!

ACT III

SCENE I

_The_ COLONEL'S _Summer Parlor_.

_The_ COLONEL _in front, walking rapidly up and down. In the rear_,
ADELAIDE _and_ IDA _arm-in-arm, the latter in great agitation. A short
pause. Then enter_ SENDEN.

SENDEN (_hastily calling through centre door_).

All goes well! 37 votes against 29.

COLONEL.

Who has 37 votes?

SENDEN.

Why you, Colonel, of course!

COLONEL.

Of course! (_Exit_ SENDEN.) The election day is unendurable! In no
fight in my life did I have this feeling of fear. It is a mean
cannon-fever of which any ensign might be ashamed. And it is a long
time since I was an ensign!

[_Stamping his foot_.]

Confound it!

[_Goes to rear of stage_.]

IDA (_coming forward with_ ADELAIDE).

This uncertainty is frightful. Only one thing is sure, I shall be
unhappy whichever way this election turns out.

[_Leans on_ ADELAIDE.]

ADELAIDE.

Courage! Courage, little girl! Things may still turn out all right.
Hide your anxiety from your father; he is in a state of mind, as it
is, that does not please me at all.

_Enter_ BLUMENBERG _in haste; the_ COLONEL _rushes toward him_.

COLONEL.