of abject terror, had dropped almost into a whisper) "——you will understand what it is they want."
And at that moment there surged into the room a hoarse confused cry, in which the only clearly audible words were "Less——bread——More——taxes!" The old man laughed heartily. "What in the world——" he was beginning: but the Chancellor heard him not. "Some mistake!" he muttered, hurrying to the window, from which he shortly returned with an air of relief. "Now listen !" he exclaimed, holding up his hand impressively. And now the words came quite distinctly, and with the regularity of the ticking of a clock, "More——bread——Less——taxes!"
"More bread!" the Warden repeated in astonishment. "Why, the new Government Bakery was opened only last week, and I gave orders to sell the bread at cost-price during the present scarcity! What can they expect more?"
"The Bakery's closed, y'reince!" the Chancellor said, more loudly and clearly than he had spoken yet. He was emboldened by
