e
security of the common law. He considered the Socialist doctrines false
and mischievous, and their aims senseless
and--fortunately--unattainable, and for that very reason he did not
fear them. But deprive the Socialists of the possibility of expressing
themselves freely in word and print, and their grievances, which now
found vent in harmless speechifying, would assume the form of practical
violence.

His speech made an impression, but that of a rival candidate a still
greater, for he succeeded in rousing the deepest and most powerful
emotions of his hearers, by the plain statement that whoever refused
the government the right of adopting such measures as it thought
necessary for the safety of the public, simply delivered the life of
their aged and beloved sovereign into the hands of assassins. At the
election, Schrotter had on his side only a small number of
independent-minded voters, who were able to remain unmoved by
sentimental arguments. The workingmen would not vote for him, knowing
him to be an opponent of Socialism. The rival candidate was returned by
a large majority.

The Reichstag assembled, the Socialist Act was passed, Berlin declared
to be in a state of semi-siege, and a great number of workmen dismissed
from the city. It was November, and winter had set in with unusual
severity. On a dark and bitterly cold afternoon, old Stubbe, who had
been agent in the Eynhardts' house for twenty years, entered Wilhelm's
room.

"What is the news, Father Stubbe?" cried Wilhelm, as he came in.

"No good news, Herr Doctor. Wander the locksmith--you know the man who
rents the second floor of the house in our court--has been turned out
by the police. It seems he's a very dangerous customer; I must say I
have never noticed it. He was always very decent; the children were a
bother, certainly--always running about the court and getting between
your feet. Well, we all have our faults; and then, too, he didn't pay
his rent in October."

Wilhelm, who was well acquainted with Father Stubbe's flow of language,
and did not greatly admire it, interrupted him at this point.

"Well, and what is the matter?"

"What's the matter, Herr Doctor? Why, the wife is there now with the
five children, and there's no earning anything, and yesterday she took
away a cupboard to turn it into money somewhere--not that she can have
got much for it, it was all tumbling to pieces. The rest of the
furniture will take legs to itself soon, I dare