"That's right." Napoleon winked slily. "If I don't, there will be a strike in several factories in Netzig." He turned on his heel. At the door he held Diederich, who had sunk down under the bedclothes in terror, once more in his glance. "Therefore, long live international Social Democracy!" he shouted as he went out.
From beneath the bedclothes Diederich cried: "Hurrah for His Majesty the Emperor!" After that there was nothing to be done but to face the situation. It looked pretty threatening. Oppressed with misgivings he hastened out into the street, to the Veterans' Association, to Klappsch's and everywhere he was forced to admit that, during the days of his discouragement, the clever tactics of old Buck had achieved wide success. The Emperor's Party had been diluted by accretions from the Liberal ranks, and the difference between Kunze and Heuteufel was inconsiderable compared with the abyss between him and Napoleon Fischer. Pastor Zillich, who exchanged shy greetings with his brother-in-law, Heuteufel, asserted that the Emperor's Party ought to be satisfied with its success, for it had certainly strengthened the national conscience of the Liberal candidate, even if he eventually won. As Professor Kühnchen expressed the same opinion, the suspicion became insistent that they were not satisfied with the promises they had extracted from Diederich and Wulckow, and that they had allowed old Buck to win them over by promises of greater personal advantage. The corruption of the democratic gang was enough for anything! So far as Kunze was concerned, he wanted to be elected in any case; if necessary, with the help of the Liberals. His ambition had corrupted him, it had brought him to the point of promising to stand for the Infant Asylum. Diederich became indignant; Heuteufel was a hundred times worse than any proletarian, and he alluded to the terrible consequences which such an unpatriotic attitude would have. Unfortunately he could not be more specific—and with the picture of the strike before him,
