the telephone.] Filthy traitor: is that the way you dare speak of
the daughter of our anointed Panjandrum? I'll--

SCHNEIDEKIND [pulling the telephone from his lips]. Take care,
sir.

STRAMMFEST. I won't take care: I'll have him shot. Let go that
telephone.

SCHNEIDEKIND. But for her own sake, sir--

STRAMMFEST. Eh?--

SCHNEIDEKIND. For her own sake they had better send her here. She
will be safe in your hands.

STRAMMFEST [yielding the receiver]. You are right. Be civil to
him. I should choke [he sits down].

SCHNEIDEKIND [into the telephone]. Hullo. Never mind all that:
it's only a fellow here who has been fooling with the telephone.
I had to leave the room for a moment. Wash out: and send the girl
along. We'll jolly soon teach her to behave herself here...Oh,
you've sent her already. Then why the devil didn't you say so,
you--[he hangs up the telephone angrily]. Just fancy: they
started her off this morning: and all this is because the fellow
likes to get on the telephone and hear himself talk now that he
is a colonel. [The telephone rings again. He snatches the
receiver furiously.] What's the matter now?...[To the General.]
It's our own people downstairs. [Into the receiver.] Here! do you