His sons are peasants or ne'er do wells, his son-in-law is a socialist, and they say his daughter.…"
They looked at one another, and the Mayor sniggered and went pale with excitement. He was bursting with delight, as he cried: "And you didn't know that Herr Buck's brother is bankrupt!"
They loudly expressed their satisfaction. That man with his five elegant daughters! The President of the Harmony Club! But, as Diederich knew, they got their meals from the public kitchen. At this stage the Mayor poured out some more cognac and passed round the cigars. All at once he became certain that they were on the eve of a big change. "The Reichstag elections will take place in eighteen months. Between now and then you gentlemen will have to work."
Diederich proposed that the three of them should there and then constitute themselves an inner election committee.
Jadassohn explained that it was absolutely essential to get into touch with Governor von Wulckow. "In the strictest confidence," added the Mayor, winking. Diederich regretted that the "Netzig Journal," the chief newspaper in the town, was tarred with the liberal brush. "A damned Semitic rag!" said Jadassohn. On the other hand, the loyal government county paper had practically no influence in the town. But old Klüsing in Gausenfeld supplied paper to both. As he had money in the "Netzig Journal," it did not seem improbable to Diederich that its attitude might be influenced through him. They would have to frighten him into thinking that otherwise he would lose the county paper. "After all, there is another paper factory in Netzig," said the Mayor, grinning. Then the maid came in and announced she would have to set the table for dinner, as the mistress would soon be back—and also Frau Hauptmann, she added. When he heard this title the Mayor at once jumped up. As he accompanied his guest to the door, his head drooped, and in spite of all the cognac, he looked
