Heinrich Mann

“ Pastor Zillich could already see his church swarming with people and Heuteufel being stoned by the mob. Kühnchen was dreaming of the streets of Netzig bathed in blood. "Does any one dare to question my loyalty to the Emperor?" crowed Jadassohn. And Diederich: "Old Buck had better look out! and Klüsing and Gausenfeld, too! We are awakening from our sleep!"
The gentlemen held themselves very straight, and from time to time one of them shot forward unexpectedly. ”

“ I could not control the man. Herr von Wulckow knows"—the Mayor winked his eye—"that I would have done it if I could." They looked at one another in silence for a while. Jadassohn blew his nose as if he had heard enough. But Diederich could not be silent any longer. "Liberalism is the beginning of Social Democracy. Such people as Buck, Kühlemann, Eugen Richter, make our workers impudent. My factory imposes upon me the heaviest sacrifices in work and responsibilities, and on top of that I have conflicts with my workers. ”

“ Diederich at once became indignant. "A young girl should not say such things," he cried righteously, but Magda assured him that Inge Tietz, Meta Harnisch and every one said it. "Then I command you most emphatically to contradict such talk." There was a moment's silence, then Emma said: "Guste, you know, is already engaged."—"I know that," muttered Diederich.
They met a number of acquaintances. Diederich heard them addressing him as "Doctor," beamed proudly, and walked on between Emma and Magda, who cast admiring glances from each side at his new style of wearing his moustache. ”

“ People always say Herr Buck owns the town."
"But I do not want that, I want it to belong to itself." He sighed deeply. "That is a long story, you will gradually learn it when you get an insight into our administration. Every day we are more hardly pressed by the government and their Junker taskmasters. To-day they want to compel us to supply light to the landlords who pay us no taxes. To-morrow we shall have to build roads for them. Finally they will take away our right to self-government. We are living in a beleaguered town as you will see."
Diederich gave an embarrassed smile. ”

“ Although his food was getting cold, Jadassohn launched into an elaborate eulogy of the Emperor's character. The Philistines, the fault-finders, and the Jews might pick holes in him as they liked, taking him all in all our glorious young Emperor is the most individual personality, charmingly impulsive and a highly original thinker. Diederich fancied that he had already established this fact and nodded contentedly. He said to himself that a person's outward appearance was sometimes deceptive, and that the length of one's ears did not determine one's loyal sentiments. ”

“ Suddenly Jadassohn saw the modest grey figure of a man in a long military cape, and made a friendly sign to him. "Why, come along, Herr Rothgroschen!" In the exuberance of his spirit Diederich asked overbearingly: "Who are you?"
The stranger answered cringingly: "Rothgroschen, editor of the 'Netzig Journal.'"
"Ah, a hungry intellectual," said Diederich, his eyes flashing. "Broken-down college men, poor scholars, a menace to us!" ”

“ Feeling that this shot was directed at him, Diederich looked at her. She twinkled. He wanted to ask her something, but he had lost courage.
Just before they reached Netzig Fräulein Daimchen asked: "and what about your heart, Dr. Hessling, is it still free?"
"So far I have avoided an engagement." He nodded his head seriously. "Oh, you must tell me all about it," she cried, but their train was now entering the station. "I hope we'll meet soon again," said Diederich. "I can only say that a young man often comes damned near burning his fingers. A yes or a no can spoil his whole life." ”

“ The Mayor nodded emphatically. "Herr Buck is the oldest of our deserving citizens and therefore exercises a doubtless legitimate influence."
"Only for the time being," said the Jewish gentleman from the Public Prosecutor's Office in an unexpectedly harsh tone, as he looked defiantly at Diederich. The Mayor had bent his head over his cheese, and Diederich, finding himself helpless, blinked. As the gentleman's look demanded a response, he mumbled something about "innate respect" and even began to cite memories of his childhood as an excuse for having gone first to Herr Buck. ”

“ There was a scream which made everybody start. The women joined in the crying, and several men pushed forward with clenched fists. The crowd had become denser. From between the cars, which had come to a halt, reinforcements overflowed. In the midst of the threatening mob the girl worked herself free, her loosened hair streaming, her face distorted with tears. It could be seen that she was screaming, but not a sound could be heard, for it was drowned in the general noise. The solitary policeman pushed the crowd back with outstretched arms, for they would have trodden on the prostrate figure. ”

“ As Rothgroschen's gestures indicated complete submission, Diederich quieted down again and said: "Your health!" The major shouted as if he would burst: "We are the gentlemen on whom His Majesty can rely!" Jadassohn begged him to be quiet and began to read.
"This meeting of loyal and Christian citizens, gathered in session at the Ratskeller in Netzig, humbly extends to Your Majesty its unanimous and enthusiastic approval of Your Majesty's Royal testimony to revealed religion. ”

“ Moved by the glance of those friendly blue eyes Diederich laid his hand upon his heart. "I am a thorough-going Liberal!"
"Above all, I warn you against Governor von Wulckow. He is the enemy who has been sent here into the city against us. The municipal authorities maintain only such relations with him as are absolutely unavoidable. I personally have the honour to be cut by him in the street." ”

“ He had issued a command to the city authorities: "See to it that churches are built in Berlin." Then they were built, religion became fashionable again, they got customers. The Pastor, the publican, Jadassohn and Diederich all grew enthusiastic over the profound piety of the monarch. Then a loud report was heard.
"Some one Has fired a shot!" Jadassohn jumped up first and they all turned pale as they looked at one another. Like a flash of lightning Diederich saw in his mind's eye the bony face of Napoleon Fischer, the machinist with the black beard through which his grey skin was visible. ”

“ Kühnchen recovered. "The treacherous swine had also caught us napping! And the women! Upon my word, gentlemen, there is nothing can touch the French women for viciousness. They poured boiling water on our heads. Now, I ask you, was that lady-like? When the house was on fire they threw the children out of the window, and expected us to catch them. Nice, wasn't it? But foolish! On our bayonets we caught the little devils. And then the women!" Kühnchen bent his gouty fingers as if they held the butt end of a gun and looked up as if there was still some one to be empaled. ”

“ Because we are not united against the Red peril, and there are certain employers with socialistic leanings, as, for example, the son-in-law of Herr Buck. Herr Lauer's workmen have a share in whatever profits the factory earns. That is immoral. It undermines law and order, and I hold that order is more necessary than ever in these difficult times. Therefore we need a strong government like that which is led by our glorious young Emperor. I declare that I stand fast by His Majesty in all circumstances...." Here the two others bowed profoundly and Diederich replied, his eyes flashing. ”

“ Heuteufel stood still—"gentlemen, let us understand one another. What is the sense in all that? Just be cause this lout of a peasant could not understand a joke. A joking reply, a good-humoured laugh, and he would disarm the workman who wanted to challenge him, his comrade, a poor devil like himself, instead of that, he is ordered to shoot. And afterwards come the grandiloquent phrases." Judge Fritzsche agreed, and counselled moderation. Then said Diederich, still pale and with a voice that trembled:
"The people must learn to feel power! ”

“ Why should high treason be a service?"
Before the astonished women he launched into politics. These old Democrats who still led the regiment, they were a positive disgrace to Netzig! Unpatriotic slackers, at odds with the government! They were a mockery of the spirit of the time. Because old Judge Kühlemann was their representative in the Reichstag, and was a friend of the notorious Eugene Richter, business here was at a standstill and nobody got any money. Of course, there would be no railway connections or soldiers for such a radical hole. No traffic and no influx of population! ”

“ Frau Hessling raised her hands entreatingly. "My dear son, when you go now to pay your calls in the town, promise me you will also go to Herr Buck's. After all he is so influential." But Diederich promised nothing. "Other people want their turn," he cried.
Nevertheless he did not sleep well that night. By seven o'clock he was down in the factory and at once raised a row because the beer bottles of the day before were still lying about. "No boozing here, this is not a barroom. Surely that is in the regulations, Herr Sötbier?"—"Regulations?" said the old bookkeeper. "We have none." ”

“ In order to console him Diederich filled his glass again. While the major was drinking Jadassohn leaned over to Diederich and whispered: "Don't believe a word of it! He is a spineless creature and crawls before old Buck. We must make an impression on him."
Diederich proceeded to do so at once. "I may tell you that I have already made formal arrangements with Governor von Wulckow." And as the major opened his eyes in astonishment: "Next year, major, come the Reichstag elections. Then we loyal citizens will have a heavy task. The fight is already on." ”

“ In order that his departure should look less like a retreat Herr Buck's brother first went to the lavatory. "Ha, ha!" said Jadassohn. Then in a louder tone: "Major, the enemy is in flight." Pastor Zillich was still uneasy.
"Heuteufel is still there. I do not trust him."
As Diederich ordered the third bottle he looked round contemptuously at Lauer and Dr. Heuteufel, who were sitting alone and staring shamefacedly at their beer glasses.
"We have the power," said he, "and those gentlemen over there are well aware of it. They have already resigned themselves to the fact that the sentry fired. ”

“ It is doubly hard for a widow. Frau Daimchen feels it too, now that her Guste is going to marry Wolfgang Buck."
"Perhaps not," said Emma, the elder girl. "They say that Wolfgang has an affair with an actress." Frau Hessling completely forgot to chide her daughter. "But where so much money is at stake! A million, people say."
Diederich said contemptuously that he knew Buck, that he was not normal. "It must run in the family. The old man also married an actress." ”

“ With a gracious air Diederich accepted the flowers. Now it was his turn to clear his throat. First he turned towards his own family, then he looked sharply into the faces of his workers, one after another, even the blackbearded machinist, although this man's look made him feel uncomfortable. Then he began:
"Men and women! As you are my dependents, I will simply say to you that in the future you must put your shoulders to the wheel. I am determined to put some life into this business. Lately, as there was no master here, many of you probably thought you could take things easily. ”

“ Did you hear that, gentlemen?" He laughed loftily. "Hitherto I have only heard of the army of His Majesty the Emperor!"
Dr. Heuteufel murmured something about the rights of the people, but in the hectoring tone of a drill sergeant Diederich declared that he had no use for a mere figurehead of an Emperor. A people without stern discipline would fall into decay. ... By this time they had reached the cellar where Lauer and his friends were already seated. "Well, are you going to sit with us?" Heuteufel asked Diederich. "In the last analysis, I suppose, we are all liberals." ”

“ Pastor Zillich muttered something about orgies which were said to be celebrated in that building, and at which unspeakable things had happened. Jadassohn smiled significantly:
"Well, it is fortunate that their windows are overlooked by Herr von Wulckow." And Diederich nodded approvingly at the government building on the opposite side of the street. Next door stood the military depot, in front of which a sentinel was marching up and down. "It does your heart good to see the glint of the rifle of one of those fine fellows," cried Diederich. "With them we can hold that gang in check." ”

“ Your masters have already made you into a worldpower, and, while you're earning money whatever way you can, and spending whatever way you like, they will build the fleet? for you—or rather for themselves—which we ourselves at that time would have built. ”

“ From time to time one notices evidence of the existence of higher things, of powers to which we are all subjected. For example, in the Berlin riots last February, when His Majesty ventured into the seething tumult with such phenomenal coolness—I can tell you—" As the others had stopped in front of the Ratskeller, Diederich raised his voice. ”