His expression of unmitigated disgust was perhaps a freak of nature, and no indication of the true state of his feelings.
He had a bundle of papers before him, in which he searched for some time before opening his mouth.
"You are accused of having made use of offensive expressions regarding his majesty," he said to Schrotter.
"On a preposterously unfounded charge," he retorted.
"And you too," he turned to Wilhelm.
"I can only repeat Dr.Schrotter's answer." "Give your evidence," he ordered the policeman.
The man did so.
"Could you understand what the gentleman said ?" "No." "How far was Patke behind them ?" "A few steps." "You must be more exact." "I can't say more exactly than that, for I paid no attention to the gentlemen till I was told to arrest them." "Is it your opinion that Herr Patke could have heard distinctly what the gentlemen were saying to one another ?" "I dare say he might have understood if they spoke very loud, but I can't say for certain." "Herr Patke, what have you to say ?" The former non-commissioned officer, who had donned his 1870 medal for the occasion, hereupon assumed a strictly military bearing, fixed his eye firmly on the magistrate, and began in a sing-song voice: "I happened to be in the street last Sunday when the infamous wretch lifted his murderous hand against the sacred person of our august monarch.

My heart bled; I was beside myself; I could have torn everybody and everything to pieces.

As I walked along I noticed these two gentlemen, who looked to me suspicious from the first--" "Why ?" asked the magistrate.
"Well--the one with his black hair, and the other with his hooked nose--I said to myself, 'Those are Jews!'" The magistrate suddenly bent over his papers, and gave a kind of grunt.
Even the policeman, in spite of his wooden official air, could not repress a smile.

Patke continued: "Then I heard the younger gentleman say, 'It serves his majesty the emperor quite right.'" "Did he actually say, his majesty the emperor ?" interrupted the magistrate.
"No," answered Patke eagerly, "I say that." "You are only to repeat the gentleman's actual words." "He actually did say that it served the emperor right." "This is beyond a joke," Schrotter burst out.

"Why, man, I wonder the lie does not stick in your throat and choke you!" "I must beg you not to address the witness," said the magistrate brusquely.