say, my first thought of course, was to call on you, Mr. Mayor, but in memory of my father, who had such a high opinion of old Herr Buck.…"
"Quite so, quite so." The Mayor nodded emphatically. "Herr Buck is the oldest of our deserving citizens and therefore exercises a doubtless legitimate influence."
"Only for the time being," said the Jewish gentleman from the Public Prosecutor's Office in an unexpectedly harsh tone, as he looked defiantly at Diederich. The Mayor had bent his head over his cheese, and Diederich, finding himself helpless, blinked. As the gentleman's look demanded a response, he mumbled something about "innate respect" and even began to cite memories of his childhood as an excuse for having gone first to Herr Buck. While he was speaking he gazed in terror at the huge, red, prominent ears of the gentleman from the Public Prosecutor's. The latter allowed Diederich to stammer on to the end, as if he were a prisoner in the dock giving himself away. Finally he retorted cuttingly: "There are certain cases where respect is a habit which one must lose."
Diederich stopped short and then ventured to laugh meaningly. The Mayor with a pale smile and a conciliatory gesture said: "Dr. Jadassohn likes to be witty—a thing which I personally esteem him for particularly. In my position, of course, I am compelled to consider things impersonally and without prejudice. Therefore I must admit, on the one hand.…"
"Let us get at once to, 'on the other hand'," demanded Jadassohn. "As a representative of the State authorities, and as a convinced supporter of the existing order, I regard Herr Buck and his comrade, Deputy Kiihlemann, as revolutionaries, both on their past record and their present opinions. That is enough for me. I do not conceal my thoughts; I hold that to be un- German. Let them set up public kitchens by all means, but the best nourishment for the Crown is sound opinions. A lunatic asylum might also be very useful."
