money, as many as possible of the great estates and large freeholders, so that our faction, which represents the historical past of the country, and its independence, could not become victorious, by any manner or means! (Rising angrily.) They want to drown us out with a stream of their filthy money,— ah, what abomination is possible on earth!
Dr. Svoboda (Rising).—This thing,—which you are now telling me . . . it is so frightful, so low, that I still can hardly believe it! When it was discussed in the newspapers, I thought it must be a mere conjecture,—but if it is really true, what will be the result?
Count.—Yes, yes, the possible result! In former times, war was waged in our country with arms and accompanied by the flow of blood, today it is waged with the ballot. But this coming fight, which will decide the election among the freeholders, will be fully as decisive as any bloody battle fought in the Middle Ages.
Dr. Svoboda—Certainly. If we lose this battle, it will affect us for the next hundred years. But we need not be gravely concerned about the plans of our opponents. To carry on a plan to its execution is not as easy as sliding down hill (With a laugh.) The large estates are not easily bought up. None of them are on sale for a six-pence!
Count.—Yet you could buy up a score of them if you were willing to lose several millions And are you aware of the source from which our opponents are drawing their money?
Dr. Svoboda.—They established a special bank for that purpose in Vienna.
Count.—Yes; by buying up mortgages, a large sum of money will be raised by our opponents.
Dr. Svoboda.—Then it behooves us to work, agitate the matter, warning the voters, so that no member of our side could be induced to sell his estate.
Count.—So, so, . . . if such things as poverty, selfishness and corruption were unknown among the freeholders themselves. Defense through speech alone will not help. For poison there must be anti-poison. We have no other recourse, my friend, but to resort to similar weapons.
Dr. Svoboda . . . which, whether we wish to or not, we must call immoral.
Count.—Essentially immoral, perhaps; but not immoral when applied for the purpose of self-defense. Or shall we permit ourselves, rather, to be smothered out? Never! We must not
