ily and do not need either Minna's assistance or yours. If you don't agree with me, then the pair of you know where the door is through which you came!" Naturally, Guste could only bow in the face of this virile attitude, but she smiled slily after him as he went out.
For his part, Diederich was happy at having disposed of the matter by his firm procedure. He could not allow his life to become any more complicated than it was at that time. His hoarseness, which had unfortunately kept him out of the struggle for three days, had not been overlooked by the enemy. In fact, Napoleon Fischer had told him only that morning that the "Emperor's Party" was getting too strong for him, and had been stirring up feeling against the Social Democrats too much lately. In these circumstances. … In order to quiet him Diederich had to promise to carry out his bargain that very day, and ask the town councillors to sanction the Social Democratic Trade Union Hall. … So, although his throat was not quite well, he went to the meeting—and there he discovered that the motion concerning the Trade Union Hall had just been introduced; by Messrs. Cohn and company, moreover! The Liberals voted for it, and it went through as smoothly as if it had been the most ordinary measure. Diederich who wished to scourge openly the national treason of Cohn and his comrades, could only bark hoarsely. This clever trick had once more robbed him of his voice. No sooner had he got home than he sent for Napoleon Fischer.
"You are dismissed!" Diederich bellowed. The machinist grinned ambiguously. "All right," said he, preparing to go. "Stop!" shouted Diederich. "Don't think you are going to get off so easily as that. If you join with the Liberals, then you may be sure I will make our agreement public! I'll show you!"
"Politics is politics," Napoleon remarked with a shrug, and as Diederich could not bellow any more in the face of such cynicism, Napoleon Fischer stepped nearer confidentially, and
