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328 had been the true thing in his life, he should have held it fast. Where was she now? Dead? Sometimes he used to sit, holding his head in his hands. What had he now? What were the rewards in the service of Power? Once more everything failed him, every one betrayed him, distorted his purest intentions, and old Buck was master of the situation. Agnes, who could only suffer—the thought insinuated itself, that she had won. He wrote to Berlin and made inquiries about her. She was married and in good health. This relieved him, but somehow, it also disappointed him.

While Diederich was lost in such reflections election day approached. Filled with a sense of the vanity of all things, Diederich took no notice of what was going on, not even of the increasingly hostile air of the machinist. On the day of the polls, while Diederich was still in bed, Napoleon Fischer came to see him. Without the least apology he began: "At the eleventh hour, Dr. Hessling, I have something serious to tell you." This time it was he who scented betrayal and recalled their agreement. "You are playing a double-faced game. You made certain promises to us, and being men of our word, we did not work against you, but only against the Liberals."

"So did we," declared Diederich.

"You know that's not true. You have been hobnobbing with Heuteufel. He has already agreed to your monument. If you do not go over to his side with full colours to-day, you will certainly do so on the second ballot, and shamefully betray the people."

With folded arms Napoleon Fischer took another long stride towards the bed. "All I want to tell you is that we are not blind."

Diederich found himself in bed and completely at the mercy of his political opponent. He tried to soothe him. "I know, Fischer, you are a great politician. You will certainly get into the Reichstag."