to pursue in the future only his own inconsiderable but well-understood advantage.
People were now standing outside the corridor: some of the common herd and some of the élite. The five Buck girls, dressed up as if the trial of their brother-in-law, Lauer, was the greatest honour for the family, were chattering in a group with Käthchen Zillich, her mother and the wife of Mayor Scheffelweis. The Mayor, however, could not get rid of his mother-in-law, and from the glances which she darted at Herr Buck's brother and his friends, Cohn and Heuteufel, it was evident that she had set him against the Bucks' cause. Major Kunze, in uniform, was standing by with a gloomy air, and declined to talk. Just then Pastor Zillich and Professor Kühnchen appeared, but when they saw the big group they remained in the shelter of a pillar. The grey figure of Rothgroschen, the editor, moved unnoticed from one group to another. Diederich looked in vain for some one to whom he could attach himself. Now he regretted that he had forbidden his own people to come. He stood in the shadow, behind a turn in the corridor, and cautiously looked out! Suddenly he drew back. Guste Daimchen and her mother! She was immediately surrounded by Buck's daughters, as a valuable reinforcement to their party. At the same moment a door opened in the background, and Wolfgang Buck emerged, in cap and gown, and wearing patent-leather shoes which he turned noticeably inwards. He smiled festively, as if at a reception, shook hands with every one and kissed his fiancee. Everything would go beautifully, he assured them. The Public Prosecutor was well disposed and so was he. Then he went up to the witnesses whom he had called and whispered to them. At that instant everybody stopped talking, for at the head of the stairs the accused, Herr Lauer, appeared and with him his wife. The Mayoress fell upon her neck. How brave she was! "Not at all," she answered in a deep musical voice, "we have nothing to reproach ourselves with, have we, Karl?"
