"I suppose you had another couple of twenty-mark pieces ready?"—and the proletarian bared his yellow teeth. He no longer concealed his grin and Diederich saw that he was not going to be as easy to deal with in this as in previous matters.
"I may tell you, Doctor/' Napoleon began, "my party is dead sure of one of the two seats. The Liberals will probably get the other. If you want to kick them out, you will need us."
"I see that," said Diederich. "It is true, I have the support of old Buck. But his people are not all perhaps so confiding as to elect me if I went forward as a Liberal. It is safer to come to an understanding with you."
"And I have a very good idea how that can be arranged," declared Napoleon. "Because for a long time I have had my eye on you, wondering whether you would not soon be entering the political arena."
Napoleon began to blow smoke rings, he felt so elated.
"Your trial, Dr. Hessling, and then that business with the Veterans' Association, and so on, that was all excellent as an advertisement. But a politician must always ask: How many votes do I get?" And Napoleon gave him the benefit of his experience. When he referred to the "patriotic gang," Diederich tried to protest, but Napoleon shut him up.
"What do you mean? In my party we have a certain respect for the patriotic gang. It is easier to do business with them than with the Liberals. Soon the middle-class Democrats will all be able to fit into one cab."
"And we'll finish even them," cried Diederich. The allies laughed for joy. Diederich got a bottle of beer.
"But," insisted the Social Democrat, as he stated his terms; a trade union hall, which the town was to help the party to build. … Diederich jumped up from his chair. "And you have the cheek to demand that of a true patriot?"
The other remained cool and ironical. "If we do not help the true patriot to he elected, where will the true patriot be?"
