Heinrich Mann

“ Diederich stood up. "I will not listen to such talk in my house," he said seriously, and he glared at Magda until she stopped laughing.
Frau Hessling brought him his cigar. "I know my little Diedel will never marry any one like that"—she stroked him consolingly. He replied with great emphasis: "Mother, I cannot imagine that a true German man ever did so."
She began to flatter him: "Oh, they are not all idealists, like my dear son. Many think more materially and with the money they take something else into the bargain, which makes people talk." ”

“ The women in here should consider themselves lucky." "They?" queried Diederich. "They couldn't be better off! " He led Guste up to the table. One of the women was sorting the sheets, another checked them, and a third counted them up to five hundred. It was all done with incredible speed. The sheets flew one after another uninterruptedly, as if of their own accord, and without resisting the busy hands, which seemed to merge into the endless stream of paper that passed over them. Hands and arms, the woman herself, eyes and brain and heart. ”

“ Whoever wished to extract from the Bucks their shameful booty must not shrink from stern measures. "With mailed fist," he cried into his beer. As he clapped the lid for a fourth glass, it sounded like the rattle of swords. ... After a while his stern demeanour relaxed; scruples presented themselves. His intervention would assuredly have the result that the whole town would point the finger of scorn at Guste Daimchen. No man of the slightest honour could then marry such a girl. Diederich's deepest feelings commanded him, his deeply grounded belief in manliness and idealism. ”

“ She had no handkerchief, and Diederich affected by her sorrow, lent her his. "After all," said he, "he is not such a great loss." But then Guste arose in her wrath. "You dare say that! It was you who was attacking him. That he should send just you here seems to be more than strange."
"Kindly explain what you mean," demanded Diederich. "You must have known just as well as I, my dear young lady, what to expect from the gentleman in question. Where a man's opinions are feeble, everything else in him is equally so." ”

“ Diederich, who was not much interested in all this, observed the approach of something that promised to be much more exciting. It was Judge Fritzsche who had arrived. His leave was probably over, he was back from the south, and he had put in an appearance, though rather late, and also without Judith Lauer, whose holiday would last so long as her husband was in prison. As he approached, with a swinging stride which did not deceive the onlookers, there was a great deal of whispering, and every one whom he greeted stole a glance at old Herr Buck. ”

“ And Diederich ironically: "He himself appointed me to keep his pot stirred. And if the pot had not been wrapped in a cloth, he would long since have let it boil over."
Then it burst from Guste, in spite of herself: "If you only knew. It is that which I cannot pardon in him, that everything was indifferent to him, even my money!"
Diederich was staggered. "One shouldn't have anything to do with such people," he said primly. "They have no backbone, and are as slippery as eels." He shook his head impressively. "The person who is indifferent to money does not understand life." ”

“ Others may debase themselves for money, but I know what I owe to my noble birth!"
At this there was applause. Frau Harnisch and Frau Tietz were observed wiping away the tears which the Countess's nobility of mind had provoked. But their tears flowed again when the niece said:
"But, alas, where shall I, as a servant, find one so well born as myself?"
"As an officer," said the lieutenant, "I cannot, my dear Magda, allow this girl to be badly treated, even if she is only a poor servant." ”

“ Diederich played his trump card.
"Under Klüsing, sir, Gausenfeld is a breeding ground of revolution. Amongst his eight hundred workmen there is not one who ever votes for any one but a Social Democrat."
"Well, and what about your men?"
Diederich struck his chest. "God is my witness that I would rather shut the whole shop to-day, and go into poverty with my family, than keep one single man in my employment whom I knew to be unpatriotic."
"Most excellent sentiments," said Wulckow. Diederich looked at him with candid eyes. "I only take people who have been in the army. ”

“ With a pleasant thrill of revenge in his heart Diederich led him right up to where the Governor's wife was saying good-bye to Major Kunze, with the liveliest expressions of thanks for his efforts on behalf of her play. As soon as she saw Jadassohn she turned her back on him. Jadassohn stood as if rooted to the spot. Diederich did not bring him any further. "What's wrong?" he asked hypocritically. "Oh, of course, Frau von Wulckow. You have annoyed her. You are not to be made Public Prosecutor. Your ears are too prominent." ”

“ You will never be half the man he is." But her eyes spoke differently, as Diederich noticed. He laughed excitedly. "How anxious he is to have you! Do you know how he regards you? As the pot in which his meal is cooking and which I am to keep stirred for him!" Guste could have annihilated him. "You're a liar!" she said. But Diederich felt in good form. "All that worries him is that there is not enough in the pot. At first, of course, he also believed you had come into a million. But you can't get a man of that type for fifty thousand marks." Then Guste's rage boiled over. ”

“ The women are also more beautiful."
"That is not a proper attitude," replied Diederich. But Buck was in earnest. "I must say the rumour about Guste and me amused me. On the other hand, silly as it is, the rumour exists. The girl is suffering under it and I cannot compromise her any longer."
Diederich gave him a look of scorn, for he had the impression that Buck was using the rumour as a pretext to escape. "No doubt," he said sternly. "You understand what you are about. Now, of course, it will not be easy for her to find another. It will take a man of the finest chivalry to marry her." ”

“ The niece, on the other hand, was shouting to the public: "Surely he must see that I am a Countess, he who is sprung from the same noble line!"
"Oh, Countess," said Diederich, "now I really am curious to know if he will recognise the fact."
"Of course," replied the authoress. "They recognise each other because of their finer manners." ”

“ No, there can never be a serious estrangement between us. For a long time past we have been jointly pledged to good-will and our common progress, also by those who bequeathed to us this Harmony Club."
"Nice harmony!" thought Diederich, as he looked about for an excuse to get away. The old gentleman, as usual, had made a transition from business to sentimental twaddle. "The literary gent is always in evidence," was Diederich's reflection.
Just then Guste Daimchen and Inge Tietz passed; Guste had taken her arm and Inge was bragging about her experiences behind the scenes. ”

“ Up there under the guard of a soldier and a barred window, sat Herr Lauer, who had never dreamt this would happen to him. "Pride goes before a fall," Diederich reflected. "As a man sows, so shall he reap." And although he was no stranger to the events which had brought the manufacturer to jail, Lauer now appeared to him as an uncanny creature, bearing the mark of Cain. ”

“ By the time you have grasped the fact that a great man is amongst you, he has ceased to be great!"
"You will learn to know about him soon enough," Diederich assured him. "Blood and iron are still the most effective remedy! Might before might!" His head became heated at the utterance of this credo. But Buck also became excited. "Might! Might will not allow itself to be carried eternally on the bayonet's point like a skewered sausage. Nowadays the real power is peace. Play your comedy of force. Brag about your imaginary enemies at home and abroad Fortunately, deeds are forbidden to you." ”

“ The land alone was worth two hundred thousand. The lieutenant insisted: "A hundred and twenty for the lot."
"Nothing doing"—Diederich made an incautious move towards the door, whereupon the gentleman tackled him seriously. Diederich had to struggle, fell onto a sack of chlorine, and the other on top of him. "Get up," gasped Diederich, "we'll be bleached here." The lieutenant howled aloud as if it already burnt through his clothes—then he suddenly resumed his stiff demeanour. He blinked. "Governor von Wulckow will cut up nasty; if you don't sell, hell do nothing for you. ”

“ The more violent Diederich became the quieter was the other. That quietness was rebellious! Trembling and fuming Diederich opened the door of the packing-room and allowed Guste to enter. "That fellow is a Social Democrat!" he declared. "A chap like that is capable of setting fire to this place. But I will not dismiss him, just for that reason! Well see who is the stronger. I'll attend to the Social Democrats!" Guste gazed at him admiringly, as he continued: "I am sure you would never have guessed what dangerous posts people like myself must hold. Fearless and true is my motto. ”

“ You are filled with horror rather than hate when confronted by a lack of red-blooded patriotism! But the men without a country are on your tracks. Do you see them there in the ballroom?"
Diederich turned round so suddenly that he spilled his champagne. Had Napoleon Fischer and his comrades forced their way in? ... Buck laughed inwardly. "Don't get excited, I mean merely the silent folk on the walls. Why do they look so gay? What gives them the right to flowered paths, light footsteps and harmony? Ah, you friendly ones!" Over the heads of the dancers Buck motioned with his glass. ”

“ Buck moved his head slowly, and then his lips curled. "Well, what about it?" Guste stopped laughing.
"How do you mean? What then?"
"I mean if the Netzig people believe such a thing, it must be a common occurrence amongst them, and therefore it doesn't matter."
"Soft words butter no parsnips," said Guste decisively. Diederich then felt it his duty to enter a protest.
"To err is human, but nobody can defy public opinion with impunity."
"He always thinks he is too good for this world," said Guste. And Diederich: "These are stern times. He who does not refute a charge must believe in it." ”

“ Madga repeated "coffee," the other insisted and so did Magda. The public saw there was a misunderstanding between her and the prompter. Happily the lieutenant intervened, clicked his spurs and said: "I'll take both"—whereat the laughter became less confident. But the authoress was raging. "The public! It is and always will be a beast!" she snarled.
"My sister is a goose," said Diederich. "I shall tell her what I think of her afterwards."
Frau von Wulckow smiled deprecatingly. "The poor thing, she is doing her best. But the arrogance and impertinence of the crowd is really intolerable. ”

“ You do not know, Master Diederich! It is the life work of your lamented father and myself that I am defending. Because we built up the business with industry and hard work, you have become big. If you buy expensive machinery at one time and decline contracts the next, that is a zig-zag course which will bring the business to ruin. ”

“ Except in the realm of the ideal, your nationalism will never, never be seen again. Formerly, it may have been possible, in that dark period of history when you people were not yet born. But now you are here and the world has moved on to its goal. Darkness and hatred amongst nations, that is the end and you cannot avoid it."
"We are living in strenuous times," Diederich declared seriously. ”

“ You are becoming a real statesman. Won't you take this seat of honour?"
"If I may be so bold," stammered Diederich. "I have been able to do something for the national cause."
Wulckow blew an enormous volume of smoke into his face, then he came quite close to him with his hot-blooded, cynical eyes beneath their Oriental lids. "To start with, you have succeeded in getting into the Town Council. Well, we won't go into that. At all events, it will help you, for I understand your business is in a pretty bad way." Wulckow laughed boisterously as Diederich winced. "That's all right. ”

“ It is disgusting. Are we all to remain defenceless against their gossip?" In high dudgeon she sat down in a corner and began to read. Magda simply shrugged her shoulders, while Diederich sought anxiously and in vain for a transition which would enable him to ask if Guste Daimchen also ...? With such a long engagement? "There are situations," he declared, "where it is no longer just gossip." Then Emma flung away her book.
"Well, what about it? Käthchen does what she thinks fit. We girls have just as much right as you men to live our own lives! ”

“ Käthchen and Jadassohn had exchanged a sign on parting, and Diederich was certain they would meet soon again at the "Green Angel." He loosened his overcoat and a feeling of pride filled him because he had stumbled into a dubious affair and had got out of it with all the rules of his code intact. He felt a certain respect and sympathy for Jadassohn. He too would have acted similarly. Men understood one another. But what a woman! That other side of Käthchen, the pastor's daughter whose face had unsuspectedly revealed the loose woman! ”

“ But they'll be my spurs"—Diederich glared. "Your scepticism and your flabby point of view are out of date. Intellectual weapons"—he breathed heavily—"are no use to-day. National deeds"—he banged his fist on the table—"will win the future!"
To this Buck retorted with a pitying smile: "The future? That's just where you are mixed. National deeds have died out in the course of centuries. What we see, and what we shall still experience, is the spasmodic twitching and the odour of their corpse. It will not sweeten the air." ”