Schmidt Another of his feverish colds.

Wehner As they are known technically.

Schmidt The doctor suspects that this one was brought on by the prospect of new elections.

Wehner The doctor's with him now.

Wilke Dr Ehmke.

Schmidt Administering the usual medicine.

Wehner Wielding the therapeutic corkscrew.

Schmidt So do please take a seat. We're all waiting urgently for signs of recovery, and if past experience is anything to go by we may have to wait for some considerable time.

Guillaume New elections?

Schmidt Who knows?

Wehner Ask Number One.

Schmidt Join the queue.

Wilke There have to be new elections. We've lost our majority in the House. We can't even pass the Budget.

Guillaume We'll pick up votes.

Schmidt The Liberals, however, will drop them. Will go below the five per cent mark. Will vanish altogether.

Wehner And this misbegotten coalition with them.

Guillaume So the Chancellor feels . . . ?

Schmidt 111, apparently, at the mere thought.

Wehner Someone ought to take him another bottle of medicine.

Wilke I suppose it should be me.

Schmidt I think our little friend is already on his way.

Ehmke (with Brandt and Guillaume) Come on, Willy. You're the Chancellor. Remember? So up you get and chancel.

Guillaume Election candidate: If we win you'll get a new hospital — a new school — a new bridge over the river!' Voice from the crowd: 'We haven't got a river.' Candidate: 'You'll get a river . . . !'

Brandt I can't face them, Horst. They look at me, and I see the perpetual question in their eyes. 'Why you? Why not me? Why you?'

Ehmke They know the answer. Because you're the man you are.

Brandt Whoever that is.

Ehmke The man who's done all the things you've done.

Brandt Done is done.

Ehmke The man who's going to do all the things you're going to do.

Brandt The man they hope I am, in spite of everything. The man they hope their hope will make me. The man they know they'll sooner or later find I'm not.

Ehmke Up you get, Willy.

Brandt All those expectant faces gazing up at me. I look down at them and I see always the same question, the same hope, the same dawning disappointment . . .

Kretschmann - Shocked?

Guillaume - Surprised. Never seen him in one of his depressions before.

Kretschmann - Disillusioned?

Guillaume - Disarmed.

Brandt And when I think of the jibes that come out at every election. The sneers about my illegitimacy. The taunts about being a traitor. What was I doing during the war, eating smorgasbord in Scandinavia while all the rest of them were trapped inside the charnel-house? I came back with clean hands! That's what they cannot bear.

Ehmke It's themselves they demean, Willy, not you.

Brandt I think the time has come for me to step down.

Schmidt (with Wilke, Wehner and Guillaume) Resigning?

Guillaume Talking about it.

Wehner Of course.

Schmidt Talking, though. Talking's a good sign.