PIEPENBRINK. They don't know that their own wine, too, is from my
cellars. Ha! Ha! Ha!

BOLZ (_turning to him_). Are you laughing at us, Sir?

PIEPENBRINK. Ha! Ha! Ha! No offense. I merely heard you talking about
the wine. So you like Piepenbrink's wine better than this here? Ha!
Ha! Ha!

BOLZ (_slightly indignant_). Sir, I must request you to find my
expressions less comical. I do not know Mr. Piepenbrink, but I have
the pleasure of knowing his wine; and so I repeat the assertion that
Piepenbrink has better wine in his cellar than this here. What do you
find to laugh at in that? You do not know Piepenbrink's wines and have
no right to judge of them.

PIEPENBRINK. I do not know Piepenbrink's wines, I do not know Philip
Piepenbrink either, I never saw his wife--do you hear that,
Lottie?--And when his daughter Bertha meets me I ask, "Who is that
little black-head?" That is a funny story. Isn't it, Kleinmichel?

KLEINMICHEL. It is very funny! [_Laughs._]

BOLZ (_rising with dignity_). Sir, I am a stranger to you and have
never insulted you. You look honorable and I find you in the society
of charming ladies. For that reason I cannot imagine that you came
here to mock at strangers. As man to man, therefore, I request you to
explain why you find my harmless words so astonishing. If you don't
like Mr. Piepenbrink why do you visit it on us?