ing the names of the
candidates whom progress had chosen to watch over the common weal could
be seen protruding from the pockets of their waistcoats. Gerlach,
seeing the drunken mob and recollecting the solemn and important nature
of the occasion, was seized with loathing and horror at the corruption
of social life revealed in the low means to which the party of progress
had recourse to secure for its ends the votes of these besotted and
ignorant men.

Presently Schwefel stepped up and saluted the young men.

"Do you not belong to the committee in charge of the ballot-box?"
inquired Greifmann.

"No, sir, I wished to remain entirely untrammelled this morning,"
answered the leader with a sly look and tone. "This is going to be an
exciting election, the ultramontanes are astir, and it will be
necessary for me to step in authoritatively now and then to decide a
vote. Moreover, the committee is composed exclusively of men of our
party. Not a single ultramontane holds a seat at the polls."

"In that case there can be no question of failure," said the banker.
"Your office is closed to-day, no doubt?"

"Of course!" assented the manufacturer of straw hats. "This day is
celebrated as a free day by the offices of all respectable houses. Our
clerks are dispersed through the taverns and election districts to use
their pens in filling up tickets."

"I am forced to return to my old assertion: an election is mere folly,
useless jugglery," said the banker, turning to Seraphin. "Holding
elections is no longer a rational way of doing, it is no longer a
business way of proceeding, it is yielding to stupid timidity. Mr.
Schwefel, don't you think elections are mere folly?"

"I confess I have never considered the subject from that point of
view," answered the leader cautiously. "But meanwhile--what do you
understand by that?"

"Be good enough to attend to my reasoning for a moment. Progress is in
a state of complete organization. What progress wills, must be. Another
party having authority and power cannot subsist side by side with
progress. Just see those men staggering and blundering over the square
with green tickets in their hands! To speak without circumlocution,
look at the slaves doing the behests of their masters. What need of
this silly masquerade of an election? Why squander all this money,
waste all this beer and time? Why does not progress settle this
business summarily? Why not simply nominate candidates fit for the
of