Page:H.M. The Patrioteer.djvu/138

130

Heuteufel shrugged his shoulders. While they continued on their way Diederich, who was a little behind with Pastor Zillich, tried to explain his feelings to the latter. Breathing heavily with emotion, he said: "For me, the incident partakes of the sublime, of the majestic, so to speak. That a person who is impertinent can be simply shot down in the public street, without trial,—think of it! It brings something heroic into the dulness of civil life. It shows people what power means."

"When exercised by the grace of God," added the Pastor.

"Of course. That's just it. That's why the thing gives me a real sense of religious exaltation. From time to time one notices evidence of the existence of higher things, of powers to which we are all subjected. For example, in the Berlin riots last February, when His Majesty ventured into the seething tumult with such phenomenal coolness—I can tell you—" As the others had stopped in front of the Ratskeller, Diederich raised his voice. "If the Emperor on that occasion had ordered the soldiers to close off Unter den Linden, and to fire on the whole crowd of us, straight into the middle of us, I say&hellip;"

"You would have shouted hooray," concluded Dr. Heuteufel.

"Would you not?" asked Diederich, attempting a flashing glance. "I do hope that we are all inspired by national feeling!"

Herr Lauer was on the point of again replying incautiously, but was restrained. Instead, Cohn said: "I, too, am patriotic. But do we pay our army for such pleasantries?" Diederich looked him up and down.

"Your army, do you say? Herr Cohn, the department store owner, has an army. Did you hear that, gentlemen?" He laughed loftily. "Hitherto I have only heard of the army of His Majesty the Emperor!"

Dr. Heuteufel murmured something about the rights of the