Heinrich Mann

“ Old Buck, looming above his table on the platform, was no longer a worthy old gentleman. Power seemed to give slenderness to his figure, he was pale with hatred, and he darted a glance at Diederich which caused the onlookers to hold their breath.
"Let him speak," the old man repeated. "Even traitors are allowed to speak before they are condemned. That is what traitors to the nation look like. They have changed only in externals since the time when my generation fought and died, and went to prison and the scaffold."
"Ha! ha!" cried Gottlieb Hornung, filled with superior mirth. ”

“ The carriage had already disappeared along the streets hung with bunting, cheers could be heard in the distance, when Diederich heaved a great sigh and put on his hat.
Guste was beckoning to him frantically, and the people who were still standing around applauded, with looks of cheerful good nature. Even the soldiers who had previously followed him were now laughing. One of them showed his sympathy so far as to call a cab. As he drove off Diederich saluted the crowd. "They are like children," said his wife. ”

“ Then he launched forth. "Our hereditary foe is raising his head once more," he shouted defiantly. "A traitor to the Fatherland, who refuses our magnificent young Emperor what he—" "Ha, ha!" cried the traitors to the Fatherland, but amidst the applause of the loyalists Diederich continued to shout, although he was over-straining his throat: "A French general is asking for revanche!" From the platform some one asked: "How much is he getting for that from Berlin?" There was laughter, while Diederich clawed the air as if he wanted to climb up. "The flash of arms! Blood and iron! Manly ideals. ”

“ We are no good for any thing else. We should not take ourselves too seriously nowadays. That is the safest attitude in view of the future, and I will not deny that it was for no other reason than vanity, that I abandoned the stage again. It is laughable, father. I left because once, when I was acting, a chief of police wept. But can you imagine that being tolerable? I represent the last degree of refinement, an insight into the heart of man, lofty morality, the intellect and soul of a modern man, to people who seem to be my equals, because they nod to me and look as if they felt something. ”

“ And the soul of the German being is respect for power, power transmitted and hallowed by God, against which it is impossible to revolt. Therefore we must, now as always, regard the defence of our country as the highest duty, the King's uniform as the supreme distinction, and the making of arms as the most dignified labour." The thunder rumbled, though apparently intimidated by Diederich's increasingly powerful voice. ”

“ He paused for a moment and glared at each of them. "What would you say, Pastor, if I were to prove certain machinations against your Liberal friends? ..." Pastor Zillich turned pale. Diederich turned to Kuhnchen: "Dishonest manipulation of public funds." Kuhnchen jumped. "They will wish themselves dead," he shouted ferociously. Kunze bellowed: "Give me your hand!" and he seized Diederich in his arms. "The shell may be rough, but the kernel is sound. Prove the knavery of those swine and Major Kunze is your friend, as though we had been under fire together at Mars-la-Tour!" ”

“ What would become of us otherwise? If every nonentity believes that he is somebody, and that we are all equal! Unhappy the nation whose traditional and honourable social forms are broken up by the solvent of democracy, and which allows the disintegrating standpoint of personality to get the upper hand!"
Here Gottlieb Hornung folded his arms and thrust forward his head. "I," he cried, "who have been a member of a crack corps and know what it is to shed my blood gladly for the colours—I refuse to sell tooth-brushes!" ”

“ It was Napoleon Fischer and his comrades repeated it with hoarse shouts. They had jumped up and surrounded Diederich in a fashion which boded him no good. "He is trying again to provoke some one! He wants to get some one else in jail! Throw him out!" They seized him. Horny hands were pressing his neck as he turned his face, distorted with terror, towards the chairman and begged chokingly for help. ”

“ Diederich slapped his chest, prepared to go to any length. Klüsing had told him everything except the names. With flashing eyes he stared at the members of the committee. One seemed to grow pale. "Nothing venture, nothing win," thought Diederich, and he shouted: "one was Cohn the owner of the drapery stores!"
He stepped off the platform with the air of one whose duty has been fulfilled. Down below Kunze received him and kissed him on both cheeks, oblivious of everything, whereat the loyalists applauded. The others shouted: "Proof!" or "Nonsense!" But "Let Cohn speak!" ”

“ People should always know with what sort of a person they are dealing. Honour to whom honour is due. And in that sense we give our votes to the one candidate who will allow the Emperor as many soldiers as he wants. Either we have an Emperor or we have not!"
Then Gottlieb Hornung stepped back and, with pugnaciously protruding jaw and wrinkled brow, gazed at the applauding audience. The Veterans' Association would not be deprived of the opportunity to march past him and Kunze with upraised beer glasses. ”

“ How could a man so misunderstand his position? "If one of us is to condescend to the other"—Diederich glared. The old man flamed up in vain, he simply glared him down, and with him justice and the common welfare. Every man for himself—and what ever succeeded was right! ”

“ Diederich glanced back. He alternately celebrated the unparalleled development of commerce and loyalty. He lingered over the ocean for a considerable time. "The ocean is indispensable to the greatness of Germany. In the ocean we have a proof that there can be no decision, on the seas or beyond them, without Germany and the German Emperor, for to-day the business of the world is our chief concern." Not only from an industrial standpoint, however, but even more from a moral and intellectual standpoint, their advance could be described as unique. ”

“ It had been a mistake to elect him chairman. In any case, he should have paid his debts with the money Hessling had so decently given him, instead of buying Gausenfeld shares. Diederich himself repeatedly expressed this opinion. "Who ever would have believed it once upon a time," he remarked again in this connection; and again he thoughtfully contemplated his fate. "It is easily seen what a man is capable of when he feels the ground slipping from beneath his feet." This gave everybody the unpleasant impression that old Buck would drag them down, as shareholders, in his own ruin. ”

“ And, as things were, there could be no question of any one but Major Kunze. "Hear! Hear!" cried Kühnchen, at once, but the major's expression threatened a storm. Did they take him for a fool? he snarled. Did they think he was anxious to put his foot in it? "A national candidate in Netzig—I have no doubts as to what will happen to him! If everything else were as certain as his defeat!" Diederich would not hear of this. "We have the Veterans' Association, you must take that into account, gentlemen. The Veterans' Association is an invaluable basis of operations. ”

“ But drops began to fall, which could be heard separately, they were so large. "The turbid stream of democracy," Diederich shouted, "flows unceasingly from the land of our hereditary foe and German manliness and German idealism alone can dam the tide. The unpatriotic enemies of the divine world order, however, who wish to undermine our political system, —they must be exterminated, root and branch, in order that, one day when we are called before our heavenly Judge, each of us can appear with' an easy conscience in the presence of his God and his old Emperor ”

“ Diederich demanded, for his neighbour had jumped up; everybody was straining forward, exalted and excited. "Just look at them, Guste! Emma is silly not to have come. This is the only first-class theatre. It is superb; there is no denying it!"—"But that one with the yellow facings!" Guste raved. "That slim man! He must be a real aristocrat. I can see it at once." Diederich laughed rapturously. "There is not one of them who isn't a blue-blooded aristocrat, you can bet your life. When I tell you that His Majesty's aide-de-camp is here!"—"The one in yellow!"—"Here in person!" ”

“ Guste reported. "Just for that very reason, no!" decided Diederich, and he had no scruples in telling the story around to everybody. "Should I do violence to my feelings, when the man is in my power?" he said to Wolfgang Buck. "Colonel von Haffke is also throwing him over." He calmly added: "Now he sees that there are people more powerful than himself. To his own disadvantage Wulckow did not learn in time to adapt himself to the modern conditions of large scale publicity, which have left their mark on our present course!" "Absolutism tempered by the craving for notoriety," added Buck. ”

“ It was easy to threaten revolution, but what about the Emperor William Monument? Wulckow and Gausenfeld? Whoever trampled others under foot must be prepared to be walked on, that was the iron law of might. After his attack of resistance, Diederich again felt the secret thrill of the man who is trampled upon. ... A cab came along from behind, Herr von Brietzen and his trunk. Before he knew what he was doing Diederich faced about, ready to salute. But Herr von Brietzen looked the other way. In spite of everything Diederich rejoiced in the fresh, chivalrous young officer. ”

“ Diederich found himself in bed and completely at the mercy of his political opponent. He tried to soothe him. "I know, Fischer, you are a great politician. You will certainly get into the Reichstag."
"That's right." Napoleon winked slily. "If I don't, there will be a strike in several factories in Netzig." He turned on his heel. At the door he held Diederich, who had sunk down under the bedclothes in terror, once more in his glance. "Therefore, long live international Social Democracy!" ”

“ He recalled the many trials in the life of William the Great, from which, Diederich asserted, we could see that the Creator does not lose sight of His chosen people, and that He builds up the instrument suitable to His purpose. The great Emperor, however, had never been mistaken about this, as was particularly noticeable on that great historic occasion when, as King by the grace of God, with his sceptre in one hand and his imperial sword in the other, he paid honour only unto God and received his throne from Him. ”

“ The gentlemen in the official marquee began to look Uncomfortable and the Governor-General had winced. On the stand reserved for the officers there was, naturally, no falling off of discipline, though amongst the civilians a certain uneasiness was visible. Diederich dominated the noise, for he shouted, thundering likewise: "Our ancient Ally proves it! We are not like others. We are serious, loyal and true! To be a German is to do a thing for its own sake. Who amongst us has ever made money out of his loyalty? ”

“ But afterwards they pursue revolutionaries and fire on strikers, for my chief of police is typical of them all."
Here Buck turned straight towards the bush which concealed Diederich. "Art is art, and the whole tumult of the soul never touches your lives. On the day the masters of your culture understood that, as I do, they would leave you alone with your wild animals, as I do." As he pointed to the lions and eagles, the old man also looked at the monument and said:
"They have become more powerful, but their power has brought neither more intelligence nor more kindness into the world. ”

“ In there the poison was simmering for Buck and his followers—supplied by their friend. Not only did Klüsing no longer furnish them with funds; he betrayed them also. But there was no doubt they deserved it; such depravity had probably disgusted even Klüsing. To spare them would be to share their guilt. Diederich examined his conscience. "Mercy would really be a crime. Let every man look to himself. ”

“ Then Diederich essayed to depict conditions in the empire of Napoleon III, poisoned by democracy and therefore abandoned by God. Crass materialism, concealed by hollow religiosity, had exaggerated an undoubted business sense. This contempt for the soul was naturally allied with a degraded lust for pleasure. The craving for advertisement was the essence of publicity, and at every moment it degenerated into a mania for persecution. ”

“ At this Diederich remembered his agreement with Wulckow, which he also preferred to leave unmentioned. "To the man who achieved and secured so much for us all"—he pointed enthusiastically to Kunze—"our dear old town will one day certainly erect a monument. He and Emperor William the Great will face one an other—" "And stick out our tongues," concluded the major, whose scepticism was unshaken. "If you believe that the people of Netzig are only waiting for the great man to lead them, with bands playing, into the national camp, why do you not play the part of that great man yourself?" ”