PATRIOT How d’you mean?
BIACH Look, both communiqués are identical — same sentences, same expressions, same sparseness of detail—
PATRIOT Well, there you are!
BIACH —with one exception. (Panting.) Vienna and Berlin announce — Vienna and Berlin state — Vienna and Berlin report — Identical in content and in form — will be received with great satisfaction. For nothing can be more important than our rock-solid alliance — nothing can give us a greater sense of security—
PATRIOT Well, what more can you ask?
SUBSCRIBER Where’s there any difference, then? — What are you worried about?
BIACH (ever more deranged) What good is all that? The communiqué released in Vienna says the meeting of the two Emperors confirmed “that the illustrious monarchs abide by the decision made in May to intensify the alliance.” The communiqué released in Berlin says the meeting “confirmed the identical and most faithful interpretation of the terms of the alliance.” If you compare the sentence in the Viennese communiqué about abiding by the decision made in May to intensify the alliance, with the sentence in the Berlin communiqué about the identical and most faithful interpretation of the terms of the alliance, there is no contradiction, but simply the fact that each of the communiqués refers to something different.
SUBSCRIBER So what more do you want?
BIACH The identical and most faithful interpretation of the terms of the alliance cannot stand in contradiction to the decision in May to intensify the alliance, and the latter would be unthinkable without the identical and most faithful interpretation of the current terms of the alliance.
PATRIOT Of course.
BIACH But the German public is being told something that is not in the Viennese communiqué, and vice versa. These are two explanations which, were they to appear one beside the other, in one and the same communiqué, would not strike you as odd. They only seem so because one communiqué contains nothing about abiding by the intensification of the alliance, and the other nothing about the identical and most faithful interpretation of the current terms of the alliance. Announcements regarding the meeting of the Emperors are normally formulated and made available to the public by mutual agreement. So Count Burian will have agreed to the identical and most faithful interpretation of the terms of the alliance, and Count Hertling will have consented to the confirmation that both Emperors abide by the decisions made in May to intensify the alliance. It is the voice of both statesmen that is heard in both communiqués, and neither can make comments on the meeting of which the other does not approve.
SUBSCRIBER That goes without saying.
BIACH Yet the dissimilarity of the versions may not be without significance. There is a perceptible hint that with the intensification of the alliance after the decision made in May, the Monarchy wants to achieve a solution to the Polish Question. Count Burian already made the connection in June. That’s why the intensification of the alliance is underlined in the Viennese communiqué. The Berlin communiqué talks of the identical and most faithful interpretation of the current terms of the alliance. He does not want to make its continuance and effectiveness in any way dependent on the unsettled questions about its expansion, nor on a solution to the Austro-Polish Question.
SUBSCRIBER That’s surely obvious, the intensification can be expanded, but the expansion is meant quantitatively — it cannot be intensified. So I don’t see what you’re getting worked up about—
BIACH Even the most faithful interpretation of the terms of the alliance is identical in the Monarchy and in Germany, as the Berlin communiqué states. Count Burian wants to intensify the alliance, as does Count Hertling. (He starts to stamp his foot.) But the German Chancellor wants the alliance on current terms, even if they cannot be intensified. The Monarchy agrees. These fundamental positions on cooperation are born of necessity. (Already flagging.) The most faithful interpretation of the alliance is mutual support on all fronts against the enemy. That’s how the Allies operate, and so should the Central Powers. (Exhausted, he begins to stagger. The subscriber and the patriot support him.)
PATRIOT But they do — get a grip on yourself — it will all work out — calm down — just wait and see—
BIACH There is a difference — there is a difference — You may think there’s no difference, but I tell you there is a difference — (he sobs.)
PATRIOT Of course there’s a difference — just, please, don’t get so worked up — anyone can see there’s a difference!
SUBSCRIBER Why are you getting him even more upset? There’s no difference!
PATRIOT There’s no difference?
BIACH (groaning) There’s — no — difference—?
SUBSCRIBER Haven’t you heard? Listen. Latest report from Berlin. Contrary to certain interpretations in the press, informed sources here stress that, up to this moment in time, no official statement has been released concerning details of the discussions at Supreme Headquarters. There can be no question of any difference between the official German and Austrian reports of the meeting.
(Biach collapses.)
SUBSCRIBER Heavens — there really is something up with him—
VISITORS AND SPA PATIENTS (gathering) What’s happened? — Biach’s been taken ill—
PATRIOT It’s nothing. He got worked up—
BIACH (groaning) All — for — nothing—. There’s — no — difference. All — my — efforts—
SUBSCRIBER Heavens — if I’d thought for a moment that we would — terrible!
PATRIOT That he would take it so personally!
SUBSCRIBER Yes, but after all, it’s no trifling matter.
(Everyone wants to be part of the action.)
VISITORS AND SPA PATIENTS I don’t like the look of him — someone should call a doctor — someone ought to inform his wife — yesterday he was still — I remember him when he was—
PATRIOT Y’know what I think? (Looking around cautiously.) Those inflammatory editorials are to blame!
SUBSCRIBER That’s blasphemy! — Listen, he’s saying something—
BIACH (groaning) Expanded — and — intensified—
SUBSCRIBER Please listen—
BIACH (transfigured) Cleopatra’s nose — was one of her most beautiful features.
SUBSCRIBER He’s hallucinating.
BIACH (sitting up straight) The — edifice — is — crumbling!
PATRIOT Prophetic!
BIACH (collapses) So — ends — the — editorial!
SUBSCRIBER (sobbing) Biach—!
(He dies. Subscriber and Patriot remain, transfixed. Silent groups of visitors and spa patients.)
SUBSCRIBER He’ll be sadly missed.
PATRIOT Rest in peace.
(Change of scene.)
Scene 10
Berlin. A wine restaurant in Kaiserpassage. A mechanical barrel-organ is playing, alternately, the waltz “Emil, You’re a True Berliner” and “I Hear, My Dear, You’re a Racketeer.” The public passing by outside consists mainly of aging rent-boys with hands like paws. A newspaper vendor is hawking the magazine Lonely Hearts. A barker advertises Kastan’s Waxworks.