William the Great in the heart, than the Infant Asylum in the pocket, said I. I say it now with no uncertain voice!"
As Diederich actually did raise his voice, Wulckow turned to him. "Are you still here?" he asked. And Diederich again in mortal fear: "Sir.…"
"What are you waiting for? I do not know you at all. Have never had anything to do with you."
"Sir, in the national interest—"
"I can have no dealings with land sharks. Sell your plot of ground and good luck to you. Afterwards we can do business."
Diederich turned pale and felt as if he were being crushed against the wall. "In that case, do our conditions still hold good? The decoration? The hint to Klüsing? The honorary chairmanship?"
Wulckow made a wry face. "Well and good. But you must sell at once."
Diederich gasped for breath. "I will make the sacrifice," he declared. "The noblest possession of a loyal patriot, my fidelity to the Emperor, must be placed beyond suspicion."
"All right, then," said Wulckow, as Diederich withdrew, proud of his exit, though disturbed by the discovery that the Governor did not view him as an ally with any greater favour than he viewed his machinist.
In the drawing-room he found Emma and Magda all alone, turning over the pages of a magnificent looking volume. The visitors had all gone and Frau von Wulckow had left them, because she had to dress for a party given by the wife of Colonel von Haffke. "My interview with the Governor passed off quite satisfactorily for both of us," Diederich remarked. And when they were in the street, he added: "There you can see what it means when two honourable men negotiate. In the business world to-day that is unknown, there are so many Jews."
Emma was also greatly excited, and announced that she
