Heinrich Mann

“ When his hand is lowered, everything is as before; only the actor and his audience have had a thrill. And that, my dear Hessling, is the only thing that matters to all of us to-day. The man himself, about whom we are speaking, would be most astonished, believe me, if the war, which he is so constantly announcing, or the revolution, which he has imagined a hundred times, were really to break out!"
"You won't have to wait so long for that," cried Diederich. "And then you will see how all loyal patriots will rally faithfully and steadfastly to their Emperor!" ”

“ When they went into the sitting-room Diederich stopped in the doorway with his arms around his two sisters. "Yes, indeed, Herr Kienast," he said in a deep voice, "this is family happiness, Herr Kienast, look at it!" Magda nestled against his shoulder, all submission, but Emma tried to break away from him and received a blow from the rear. "We are always like this," continued Diederich. "All day long I work for my family, and the evening sees us united here beneath the shade of the lamp. The outside world and the cliques of our so-called Society we avoid as much as possible. ”

“ We know nothing loftier. ... And for that very reason it should be forbidden for every contemporary mediocrity to ape him. Amidst the splendour of the throne an undoubtedly unique personality may have full play; he may make speeches without arousing in us any expectation of more than mere words; he may flash and dazzle; he may provoke the hatred of imaginary rebels and the applause of the parterre, which never loses sight of its own bourgeois realities...."
Diederich trembled, and all eyes and mouths were opened in tense excitement, as if Buck were walking on a tight rope between two towers. ”

“ One could feel in him a kind of patronising affection for the phrases which he was weaving to describe Diederich.
"At all times," said Buck, "there have been many thousands such as he, who mistook their business and developed political opinions. What is added, and makes of him a new type, is simply the gesture, the swaggering manner, the aggressiveness of an alleged personality, the craving for effect at any price, even at the expense of others. Those who differ in opinion are to be branded enemies of their country, though they constitute two-thirds of the nation. ”

“ Diederich was paralysed with fear. He had never dreamed of such a dark betrayal. Jadassohn noticed his dismay and, mistaking the cause of it, he began to prevaricate. "Between ourselves, you know, the man has his weaknesses." In threatening and hostile tones Diederich retorted. "Last night you were of a very different opinion." Jadassohn pleaded as his excuse the uncritical frame of mind induced by the champagne, and asked if Dr. Hessling had really taken so seriously the enthusiasm of the other gentlemen. Nobody was more critical, as a matter of fact, than Major Kunze. ”

“ Leaning on Diederich's arm, she tottered in, fell upon Herr Kienast's neck, and dissolved into tears. Meanwhile Diederich was knocking at Emma's bedroom door, which was locked. "Come out, Emma; something has happened!" Finally she pulled open the door, her face flaming with rage. "What are you waking me up for? I can easily guess what has happened. Leave me out of your indecencies!" She would have slammed the door again, if Diederich had not in serted his foot. He sternly pointed out to her that, for her churlish behaviour, she deserved never to get a husband. ”

“ Diederich pulled himself together. "I must say, I have often failed to understand you properly, but never so little as now when we have been walking half way through Netzig together." Buck blinked at him. "Because in the trial to-morrow I am counsel for the accused and you are the chief witness for the prosecution? That is just chance. The situation might just as well have been reversed."
"I beg your pardon!" cried Diederich, indignantly. "Every man in his right place. If you have no respect for your profession—"
"Respect? What do you mean? I am delighted to act for the defence. ”

“ A winner! "Let our citizens," cried Diederich, "awake from the sleep in which they have so long been lulled, and not abandon to the State and its instruments the task of fighting the revolutionary elements, but do their own part! That is His Majesty's command, gentlemen, can I hesitate? Revolution is raising its head; a gang of people unworthy of the name of Germans dares to drag in the dust the sacred person of the King. ..."
Somebody laughed among the poorer members of the audience. Sprezius snapped his beak and threatened to fine the person who laughed. Jadassohn sighed. ”

“ Buck's mouth and jaws fell pessimistically. Diederich snorted impatiently. "Of course, I know, you do not believe in any personality of this era. Otherwise you would have become a Lassalle or a Bismarck."
"In the end I may indulge in some such luxury. Why not? Just as well as he. ... Even if I am less favoured by external circumstances." His voice became more animated and assured. "What matters personally to each of us is not that we should really change the world very much, but that we should create in ourselves a sense of life, as if we were doing so. ”

“ Folk songs, Beethoven and drinking songs rang out in the twilight, which was thereby cosily warmed so that a comfortable drowsiness filled the brain. At one moment it seemed to him that a hand was stroking the top of his head. Was it only a dream? No, for suddenly a glass full of beer stood on the piano. His good mother! Schubert, what loyal integrity, the soul of the mother country. ... All was silent, and he did not notice it, until the clock struck: an hour had passed. "That was my Christmas," said Diederich, and he went out to join the others. He felt consoled and strengthened. ”

“ As the other did not reply, Diederich thought: "They have sent him here specially about the machine; they are afraid of a lawsuit." Then he noticed that Magda and Büschli's representative were raising their glasses at the same time, and toasting each other with their eyes. Emma and Frau Hessling looked on in rigid silence. Diederich bent his head over his plate in a rage—but all at once he began to sing the praises of domestic life. "You are in luck, my dear Herr Kienast, for this lunch hour is by far the pleasantest time in the day. ”

“ Then Sötbier began:
"Master Diederich, our old cutting machine is not a Patent Two-Cylinder, but it belongs to the earliest days of the old master. He began with that machine, and with that machine the business grew up...."
"Well, in my turn I wish to develop the business with my own machine," replied Diederich sharply. Sötbier entreated.
"The old one has always been good enough for us." ”

“ Beneath the ferocious gaze of the Major, Diederich reflected painfully: "Now the defendant is being heard. If I only knew what he is saying! I would like him to be free just as much as his friends." He tried in vain to convince Pastor Zillich of his softened mood, that he had always said the whole affair was trumped up. Zillich turned away in his embarrassment, and Kühnchen went off, whistling through his teeth: "Just you wait, my boy-o, we'll cook your goose." The silent oppression of general dislike weighed upon Diederich. At length, the usher appeared. "Dr. Hessling!" ”

“ You can't tell me, I know what it means when people make a show as if they had money, when they haven't." At a loss what to reply, Diederich remained silent, while Frau Daimchen complacently drummed with her fingers on her stomach. Fortunately Guste came in, with a great rustling of petticoats. Diederich sprang gracefully from his chair, and said, with a bow, as he kissed her hand: "Gnädigstes Fräulein!" Guste laughed. "Mind you don't break anything!" But she consoled him at once. "It is easy to recognise a real gentleman. ”

“ Laughing innocently, Diederich asked: "Don't you like to have a little something to drink when you are doing business?" Herr Kienast also laughed. "I never drink much when on business." Diederich grinned. "Well, in that case we shall not quarrel." "It all depends, doesn't it?" And Kienast's slily challenging words were accompanied by a glance at Magda, who blushed.
Diederich filled the guest's glass with beer. "I suppose you have other business in Netzig?" "You never can tell," said Kienast evasively. ”

“ Frau Hessling wondered if he was really gazing at the goose or, under cover of its delicious steam, at Magda's open-work blouse. Then he recalled himself and raised his glass. "And now to the Hessling family, to the respected mother and head of the household and her charming daughters." Magda's bosom swelled to make the charm more noticeable, and Emma looked all the more suppressed. It was Magda's glass which Mr. Kienast touched first.
Diederich answered the toast. "We are a German family. The guest we take into our home we also take to our hearts." ”

“ They can't swindle me. Look at it, Sötbier; isn't it too large?" But with imperturbable accuracy Sötbier explained the errors in Diederich's measurements. Diederich retired, raging, to devise another method of attack. He sent for Napoleon Fischer. "Where is the man to adjust the new machine? Did they not send any one with it?" Then he grew indignant. "I ordered him to come," he lied. "These people have a nice way of doing business. I should not be surprised if I have to pay twelve marks a day for this fellow, and he is conspicuous by his absence. Who will set up the damned machine for me?" ”

“ Heuteufel got impertinent, put on a superior air, and made cynical comments on our greeting to the Emperor. In fact, you will hardly believe me, but he even criticised His Majesty's telegram!"
"Well, what next?" asked Jadassohn, whose hand was busy with Fräulein Klappsch.
"There is no 'next' for me. I have done with the gentleman for the rest of my life!" cried Diederich, in spite of his painful consciousness of the fact that he would have to return on Wednesday to have his throat painted. ”

“ Magda broke into tears. Diederich took compassion on her, and said rudely to Emma:
"You, marry your reigning duke and then leave us in peace."
Then Emma put down her knife and fork and went out. In the evening, before the office closed, Kienast appeared. He was wearing a frock-coat and his manner was more social than commercial. By tacit agreement they both refrained from speaking until old Sötbier had packed up his things. When he had retired, with a mistrustful glance, Diederich said: "I have placed the old man on the retired list. I attend to all the more important things alone." ”

“ You have seen what he is like! An average man, with a commonplace mind, the creature of circumstance and opportunity, without courage so long as things were going badly for him here, and tremendously self-important as soon as they had turned in his favour."
Diederich fumed in his seat. Why did Sprezius not protect him? It was his duty. He allowed a loyal patriot to be made little of at a public hearing—and by whom? By counsel for the defence, the professional champion of subversive tendencies! There was something rotten in the State!—He began to boil with rage as he looked at Buck. ”

“ Guste immediately bridled up. "Old Herr Buck's son is a cut above the average," she said sharply. With the superior air of a man of the world Diederich explained that nowadays qualifications were demanded which could not be supplied through old Buck's influence: personality, a spirit of large scale enterprise, and, above all, an unimpeachable sense of patriotism. The girl no longer interrupted him, but even gazed respectfully at his aggressive moustache. ”

“ Emma and Magda also smiled. Buck secured his effect and Diederich admitted to himself sadly that their conversation yesterday in the street had been a general rehearsal for this. He cowered under the open scorn of the speaker.
"Nowadays paper-makers have ambitions; they aspire to a rôle for which they were never manufactured. Let us hoot them off the stage! They have no talent. The aesthetic level of our public life, which has been gloriously raised since the advent of William II, has nothing to gain from the co-operation of such persons as the witness Hessling. ”

“ Diederich explained that they had come to a very satisfactory agreement. Büschli & Co. were thoroughly fair people.
"With such an immense business as ours," declared the manager. "Twelve hundred workmen and clerks, a whole town, with a hotel of our own for customers." He invited Diederich. "You must come along, you will live in the best style and free of charge." As Magda, beside him, was hanging on his lips, he began to brag about his position, his power and privileges, the villa of which he shared one-half. "If I marry I get the other half." ”

“ Diederich raised his voice. "I shall never forgive Jadassohn for this trick!" He described the manoeuvres of this gentleman, who had purposely gone out during the scene, so that he could not be cited as a witness; who had then begun immediately to assemble evidence for the prosecution, taking advantage of the more or less irresponsible condition of those present, and binding them in advance with their testimony. "Herr Lauer and I know each other to be men of honour. What right has this Jew to egg us into a quarrel?" ”

“ Weeping silently Frau Hessling embraced her son. The sisters looked on feeling rather small, for only yesterday they had had nothing but contempt for Diederich's part in the affair, which had now turned out so brilliantly. But in the happy oblivion of victory Diederich ordered wine for dinner, and assured them that this day would assure their social position in Netzig for all time. "The five Buck girls will be careful not to cut you in the street. They may consider themselves lucky if you answer their salutes." Lauer's condemnation, he explained, was now only a matter of form. ”