cold. yes. you told me it was on -- you said the call was through. hello! long distance?,. get off the wire. no. i was talking to fredersdorf. what?,. oh. hello!. is that you dear?. how is everything at home?. what do you hear from the factory?. no. how are the children?. i left my shaving set at home. yes, is your father there?. hello, father?. our stock has gone down twenty-three points. if our merger with the saxonia doesn't go through -- i don't know what we can do. hello, hello. yes, papa. rely on me -- everything depends on manchester. if they refuse to come in -- well, we will be in bad shape. no. rely on me, i'll make it go through -- i'll make it go through. waiting?. yes, i'm still speaking. yes -- the merger -- manchester -- it is my business as much as yours -- we've already lost eighty-five thousand -- ach! here you are, doctor zinnowitz. waiting -- i'm waiting for news from manchester. no. no word. i know -- i know. what! -- then you will please wait outside. the stenographer! no news from manchester yet -- do you think we ought to postpone the conference? yes -- the merger must go through -- but i am used to making my deals on a solid basis. i am not a liar. i am an honest business man -- a good husband and father -- i have a sense of honor -- i have nothing to conceal. i couldn't live happily otherwise. i want to dictate my statement for tomorrow. i can't speak without notes. i like to have things down before me in black and white. good night. moreover -- moreover -- is there a telegram for me yet?. oh -- when it does, send it up. now, where was i? oh -- sorry. where was i? moreover. do you work in justice zinnowitz' office? tired? you're a very unusual stenographer -- moreover. movies? what is this? you. you. what? what brown hands you have. skiing? a man? -- to switzerland? -- that must have been nice -- for him. moreover. he was a lucky man -- that man. don't misunderstand me. i'm a married man -- with grownup daughters. uh -- with the same friend? moreover, the possibility of the successful termination of negotiations now pending with the manchester cotton company. what? can't you understand me? have you got it now? should throw a great weight into the balance. come in. oh -- oh. my daughters -- yes, my daughters. definitely off. that'll be all -- be here tomorrow at nine o'clock. good morning, gentlemen. sorry i'm late, i've been waiting for justice zinnowitz, my legal advisor. what? manchester -- yes. yes, yes, they do. yes -- now gentlemen shall we begin at the beginning? -- have we cigars -- water and everything? manchester -- yes -- yes. a man in the textile industry naturally has to know manchester. we have a good many connections in england, naturally. we are here to discuss our merger. naturally i can make no statement at this time. we must begin at the beginning. since, on the eleventh of june, this year -- when the first negotiations for a merger between our respective firms was entered into -- both parties have fully agreed that this merger can result only in mutual advantages. i'm laying before you the last general statement of our concern. active capital, plant and machinery, raw material and finished product -- for instance -- mop rags -- i'd like to wait for justice zinnowitz, before i commit myself. no water -- what a place! now to proceed with the projected merger, the advantages for the saxonia are so obvious. we did not approach you. it isn't so -- this was a response to a tentative feeler of your own. scratched -- we did not take the initiative. oh, here you are, justice zinnowitz -- i'm at cross-purposes with these gentlemen -- will you clear up the situation? i can make no statement about manchester at this time. i know you did -- i said you did -- evil days -- i've shown you here -- -- my company exports to the balkans alone, sixty-five thousand marks worth of mop rags a year. what? you've decided against the merger? then, it's all over? why talk -- it's over -- it's over -- it's finished. you've broken off negotiations. you did it. you're calling them off. you had nothing on your mind all day, but manchester, -- manchester -- manchester. you don't suppose for one moment that i'm such a fool as not to have something that i could say definitely about manchester. oh no -- no -- the session is over. let's go, it's off. thank you, gentlemen. gentlemen, i am now free to announce. . that the deal between my firm and the manchester cotton company has been successfully negotiated. i thought we'd suspended negotiations, gentlemen. under these circumstances we might refuse to sign. next week. next week. yes, it has been put through -- it has been put through. bluff -- bluff -- all bluff. that. no one would have thought it of me. i've been getting rusty in fredersdorf. well, if bluff is what the world wants i guess i can put up as big a bluff as anyone. from now on. yes -- i must go to england -- i was desperate -- now i don't care -- this sort of thing goes to a man's head. yes -- that's what i want -- i'd like to tear loose -- i'd like a drink. i'd like to go down to that dancing place. i'd like to start something. say it -- say it -- my lie -- it's the first time in thirty years that i've ever. where's that stenographer? miss flaemm. i want to see her, i want to do some dictating -- report of the conference for my father-in-law. zinnowitz, would you say she was pretty? let's go down and find her -- i need a drink -- come along zinnowitz. i don't know anything about women -- been married for twenty-six years. aeh! hello. father-in-law?. is that you?. the agreement is signed -- i did it. yes, father-in-law. but now i must go to manchester. miss flaemm. i must speak with you, miss flaemm. it's urgent. insolent -- berlin manners. i don't know you. i must speak to you, miss flaemm -- business. no -- now. mr. kringelein will be a good friend and not accept your invitation to dance. you say that you are employed by us in fredersdorf, and here you are in berlin, indulging in diversions which ill befit your position and which are very much beyond your means -- quite extraordinary, mr. kringelein, i think we will look into your books. i'll remember you, mr. kringelein. i did not ask your advice. we shall see who remains here the longer. well now, miss flaemm, we can talk. you may go, mr. kringelein. what is this insolence? go away -- go away. who are you? -- an embezzler most likely. you're discharged. yes you -- shut your mouth -- get out -- you're discharged. the man's insane -- he acts as if he is glad he is going to die. i shall see you in the lobby in half an hour. did you send that page? sit here. cognac -- for you? i'm going to keep an eye on that kringelein fellow. i'll find out where he gets the money to hang around the grand hotel. yes. i must go to england -- at once. you see, i'd like to take a secretary with me for my correspondence and -- humm -- humm -- for company on the trip -- i'm nervous -- i need somebody -- i don't know if you quite understand me. you said you have travelled with gentlemen -- and i mean -- what do you think your salary would be -- for such a trip? of course -- of course. it's agreed -- i will get a room here for you. i can get a room here in the grand hotel for you. can you pay some attention to me? insolent young cub! baron! flaemmchen! you are late. i've been waiting for you -- waiting. you're sweet. come here. call me -- do you know -- would you -- would you like to call me by my first name? why not? you're a funny little creature, flaemmchen. i can't make you out. please, flaemmchen -- we'll leave my wife out of this. aha! -- the baron. what do you want here? made a mistake -- remarkable. we shall soon see if you made a mistake. stay here. give me that money. so that's how we stand, baron. indeed you must, baron -- you must. humm -- humm, but you must go to jail, baron, you're a thief. i'm going to call the police. i'm going to watch you play the great baron with the police. aristocrat! aristocrat! the door is locked, baron. hello! hello! -- strike me, would you? attack me would you? attack me -- i'll strike you -- i'll strike you -- i'll strike you -- strike me! i strike you -- he tried to rob me -- he is dead -- -- we must do something. no -- no -- wait -- the man was a burglar -- he was going to steal my money. where is that girl -- she was working with him -- she enticed me into her room. i can answer for this, it was self- defense -- i can answer for this -- but that girl -- the scandal -- my wife -- my daughters, you know them? the scandal -- we are men -- you -- you could take that affair of the young lady upon yourself -- take her and hold your tongue. then you can travel -- i'll give you anything -- anything -- she was with you. how much -- how much do you want -- you need money -- you have nothing.