arm at the banker's
declarations, for they betrayed a soul-life of little or absolutely no
moral worth. Money, interest, and respectability constituted the only
trinity in which the banker believed. Morality, binding the conscience
of man, a true and only God, and divine revelation, were in his opinion
so many worn-out and useless notions, which the progress of mankind had
successfully got beyond.

"When those who hold power take advantage of it at elections, they in
no manner offend against propriety," proceeded Carl. "Progress has
convictions as well as ultramontanism. If the latter is active, why
should not the former be so too? If, on the side of progress, the weak
and dependent permit themselves to be cowed and driven, it is merely an
advantage for the powerful, and for the others it is a weakness or
cowardice. For this reason, the mode of electioneering pursued by
Spitzkopf and his comrades amused but nowise shocked me, for they were
not acting against propriety."

Seraphin saw it plainly: for Carl Greifmann there existed no
distinction between good and evil; he recognized only a cold and empty
system of formalities.

The two young men issued from a narrow street upon the market-place.
This was occupied by a large public building. In the open space stood a
group of men, among whom Flachsen appeared conspicuous. He was telling
the others about Greifmann's speech at the meeting of the
ultramontanes. They all manifested great astonishment that the
influential moneyed prince should have appeared in such company, and,
above all, should have made a speech in their behalf.

"He declared it was vulgar, impudent, ruffianly, to disturb a
respectable assembly," reported Flachsen. "He said he knew some of us,
and that he would have us put where the dogs would not bite us if we
attempted to disturb them again. That's what he said; and I actually
rubbed my eyes to be quite sure it was banker Greifmann that was
speaking, and really it was he, the banker Greifmann himself, bodily,
and not a mere apparition."

"I must say the banker was right, for it isn't exactly good manners to
howl, stamp, and whistle to annoy one's neighbors," owned another.

"But we were paid for doing it, and we only carried out the orders
given by certain gentlemen."

"To be sure! Men like us don't know what good breeding is--it's for
gentlemen to understand that," maintained a third. "We do what men of
good breeding hire us to do, and if it isn't