f laughed aloud, his comrades yelled and stamped.

"Let us go!" said Greifmann to Gerlach in an angry tone.

"Let us stay!" rejoined the latter with excitement. "The affair is
becoming interesting. I want to see how this will end."

The banker noticed Gerlach's suppressed indignation; he observed it in
the fire of his eyes and the expression of unutterable contempt that
had spread over his features, and he began to consider the situation as
alarming. He had not expected this exhibition of brutal impertinence.
In his estimation an infringement of propriety like the one he had just
witnessed was a far more heinous transgression than the grossest
violations in the sphere of morals. He judged of Gerlach's impressions
by this standard of appreciation, and feared the behavior of the
progressionist mob would produce an effect in the young man's mind far
from favorable to the cause which they represented. He execrated the
disturbance of the liberals, and took Seraphin's arm to lead him away.

"Come away, I beg of you! I cannot imagine what interest the rudeness
of that uncultivated horde can have for you."

"Do not scorn them, for they are honestly earning their pay," rejoined
Gerlach.

"What do you mean?"

"Those fellows are whistling, bawling, stamping, and yelling in the
employ of progress. You are trying to give me an insight into the
nature of modern civilization: could there be a better opportunity than
this?"

"There you make a mistake, my dear fellow! Enlightened progress is
never rude."

CHAPTER VII.

The tumult continued. As soon as the orator attempted to speak, his
voice was drowned by cries and stamping.

"Commissary!" cried the chairman to that officer, "I demand that you
extend to our assembly the protection of the law."

"I am here simply to watch the proceedings of your meeting," replied
Parteiling with cool indifference. "Everybody is at liberty in meetings
to signify his approval or disapproval by signs. No act forbidden by
the law has been committed by your opponents, in my opinion."

"Bravo! bravo! Three cheers for the commissary!"

All at once the noise was subdued to a whisper of astonishment. A
miracle was taking place under the very eyes of progress. Banker
Greifmann, the moneyed prince and liberal, made his appearance upon the
platform. The rioters saw with amazement how the mighty man before whom
the necks of all such as were in want of money bowe