"At that time the whole town thronged this house. Now it is as lonely as the grave. Wolfgang was the last to go. I would abandon everything, but we must respect our past, young man, even when we have been beaten."
"No doubt," said Diederich. "You're still the most influential man in the town. People always say Herr Buck owns the town."
"But I do not want that, I want it to belong to itself." He sighed deeply. "That is a long story, you will gradually learn it when you get an insight into our administration. Every day we are more hardly pressed by the government and their Junker taskmasters. To-day they want to compel us to supply light to the landlords who pay us no taxes. To-morrow we shall have to build roads for them. Finally they will take away our right to self-government. We are living in a beleaguered town as you will see."
Diederich gave an embarrassed smile. "It cannot be as bad as all that, for the Emperor has such modern ideas."
"Hm, yes," replied old Buck, shaking his head. He stood up—and then decided to say nothing. He offered Diederich his hand. "My dear Doctor, your friendship will be as precious to me as your father's was. After this conversation I have the hope that we shall be able to work together in all things."
Moved by the glance of those friendly blue eyes Diederich laid his hand upon his heart. "I am a thorough-going Liberal!"
"Above all, I warn you against Governor von Wulckow. He is the enemy who has been sent here into the city against us. The municipal authorities maintain only such relations with him as are absolutely unavoidable. I personally have the honour to be cut by him in the street."
"Oh!" cried Diederich genuinely disturbed.
The old gentleman had already opened the door for him, but he seemed to be hesitating about something. "Wait a moment!" He hastened back into the library, bent down and
