Wehner (with Schmidt) So, the game begins once more.

Schmidt Only now ministers are handed their instructions by the Lord High Chamberlain.

Wehner I shall put them carefully away in the inmost chamber of my briefcase.

Schmidt Better look first. See who's in, who's out.

Kretschmann - You're in, are you?

Guillaume - I'm waiting for Ehmke to tell me.

Kretschmann - He told Ehmke to get rid of you.

Schmidt So, what does Willy say?

Wehner Not much, I imagine, if he can't speak.

Schmidt In the letter. The letter Ehmke gave you.

Wehner Ehmke, yes . . . I know you've always felt he might benefit from a change ofjob himself.

Schmidt Broaden his experience. Give him a new perspective.

Wehner Which department do we feel would suit his talents best?

Schmidt The Post Office needs reorganising. He might find that an interesting challenge.

Wehner He knows a lot about carrying messages.

Schmidt Does Willy say anything about him in the letter?

Wehner What letter?

Schmidt You put it in your briefcase.

Wehner Oh, dear God, I've lost it. Can't find it for the life of me.

Schmidt So . . . Ehmke gets the Post Office, then?

Kretschmann - And what does Ehmke say?

Guillaume - Nothing. No Ehmke. - Have you seen him? Horst Ehmke?

Wehner Taking a little well-deserved holiday, perhaps. Oh, and Herr Guillaume. Your family. Are they well?

Guillaume In rude health, thank you.

Wehner Two sons, is it?

Guillaume Just one.

Wehner Of course. I'm glad to hear it.

Kretschmann - No Ehmke? What does that mean?

Guillaume - It means that Willy will have to look me in the eye and tell me himself. (With Brandt.) So what's been decided, Chief? Am I staying with you? — Not a word! He simply . . . hands me the dispatch-case. Another of his silent gestures! And what this one means is: 'Yes! On we go! To the bitter end! Together!'

Darkness.

Act Two

Guillaume (with Brandt and Kretschmann) Nothing in this world turns out the way anyone expects. Nothing! I look at Willy sometimes and it breaks my heart. Everything he ever wanted he gets. The election. The treaties. Even the treaty with us that crowns the whole enterprise. And at once everything goes wrong. Everything! Inflation, rising prices, impossible wage demands, industrial chaos . . .

Kretschmann Democracy, Günter! Sixty million separate selves, rolling about the ship like loose cargo in a storm.

Guillaume They've hauled the monument into place. And now they've dropped the ropes there's nothing to keep them together. They're like tired children at the end of the holiday, with nothing left to do but squabble.

Schmidt (with Wilke and Wehner) Will someone kindly tell me how the Cabinet can discuss the Foreign Ministry's proposals for arms reduction when the Foreign Ministry still hasn't tabled them?

Wilke There seems to have been some slight confusion over the date . . .