Page:H.M. The Patrioteer.djvu/227

Rh while the governing class is composed of creatures like the witness Hessling. Choose between them! Make your choice between an upstart and a valuable citizen, between comedy and truth! Between a man who will sacrifice a victim to raise himself and one who will make sacrifices to advance the welfare of others. The defendant has done what few have dared; he has divested himself of his privileges; to those beneath him he has granted equal rights, comfort and the joy of hope. Can one who respects his neighbour as himself be guilty of disrespect for the person of the Emperor?"

The audience drew a deep breath. With changed feelings they stared at the accused, who sat with forehead resting on his hand, and at his wife, who stared steadily in front of her. Several people sobbed. Even the presiding judge was subdued. He had stopped blinking and sat there with wide-open eyes, as if Buck had fascinated him. Old Kühlemann nodded seriously and Jadassohn winced in spite of himself. But Buck spoiled his effect by allowing his excitement to carry him away. "The citizens are awake!" he shouted. "Real national opinion! The silent deed of one Lauer strengthens it more than a hundred noisy monologues, even though spoken by a crowned artist!"

Sprezius immediately began to blink again, and everybody looked at him. He had remembered tie true state of affairs and resolved not to fall into the trap a second time. Jadassohn grinned, and in court there was a feeling that counsel for the defence had overplayed his part. Amidst general uneasiness the judge ordered him to end his eulogy of the accused.

When Buck sat down the actors tried to applaud, but Sprezius did not even snap at them. He merely gave them a bored glance and asked if the prosecution wished to reply. Jadassohn answered no, indifferently, and the Bench quickly withdrew. "It won't take long to reach a verdict," said Diederich shrugging his shoulders—although he was still terribly perturbed by Buck's speech. "Thank heaven!" said the Mayor's mother-in-law. "And to think that five minutes ago those people