he inspection of the distilling-ovens,
and in the evening they went over the foundry. When they returned from
the foundry, Felix went in with Ivan to his house, while Raune
returned to the inn.

Ivan led his old acquaintance into his workroom, where, in truth, a
wonderful disorder prevailed, cleared a chair, full of maps and books,
for him to sit upon, and told him to light his cigar at a chemical
lamp of a new construction. After a pause Felix began:

"You were always of an inquiring mind, Ivan. I remember well how at
college you distanced every one. As for me, I was a pygmy near a
giant. Now, tell me truly, have all your science, your industry, and
your physical exertions made you a rich man?"

Ivan laughed. "This mine gives me an annual income of ten thousand
gulden."

"In other words, it produces nothing, or, at least, next to nothing.
You are director, overseer, cashier, engineer, secretary, bookkeeper,
and conveyer of goods, and you receive, roughly calculated, just what
you would have to pay these employes if you had not united all their
different offices in yourself. In other words, your work, your talent,
your studies, your zeal, your expenditure of thought and strength upon
this mine of yours only bring you in the miserable return which any
proprietor would give to a man who filled only one of these offices.
As a fact, you don't get a farthing by it."

"The mine is not to blame, neither am I; it is the result of a small
consumption, and, in consequence of this, the production cannot be
increased."

"I will tell you in two words where the fault lies. In the present day
strength is alone to be found in co-operation. In the political world
the smaller states go to the wall; they are forced to tack themselves
on to larger ones, and so form a union. It is the same in the
commercial world; small tradesmen must give way to the larger
co-operative centres, and it is better for them to understand this,
and make part of a company."

"There is no danger of our foundry closing; our iron and our coal take
a first place, and could not be crushed out."

"An additional reason for developing my idea--an idea which, I may as
well tell you, was the factor that brought me here. You have already
guessed, I imagine, that I am not such a good fellow as to undertake
the journey solely on Raune's account. He is not a chicken, and could
have introduced himself. I have a great plan in my head. I intend to
make you a wealthy m