(Card room in Beermann's house. In the background a swinging door
opens into the dining room. To the right a smaller door leads to
the music room. On the left side another door opens into the
entrance hall. To left upstage in a corner a small card table with
chairs. To right upstage a large sofa and comfortable chairs.
Parallel to background down stage, tea table with coffee service
thereon; near it to right, smaller table, on it a humidor.

A butler is engaged at the tea table, another man servant is
holding swinging door open. [Business of getting up from table.]
Many voices and rattle of chairs are heard from dining room.
Through swinging doors enters Bolland and Frau Beermann, Beermann
with Frau Bolland, Dr. Hauser with Effie, Dr. Wasner with Fraulein
Koch-Pinneberg, Dobler alone.)

General greeting of "Mahlzeit."

Dr. Wasner is vigorously shaking hands--going to Frau Beermann
says, "Ich wunsche Gesegnete Mahlzeit."

The servants pass around coffee--Beermann conversing with Bolland
comes down stage ...

BOLLAND. You will receive two thousand votes more than the
Socialists. That's certain.

BEERMANN [skeptical]. No,--no.

BOLLAND. If all the Liberals combine with the Conservatives, the
result cannot be in doubt.