hese same
Church lands, had for its object the elevation of the Holy See by
these very means. The money-markets of France, Belgium, and the Roman
States would vie with one another in promoting the loan, and the
pontiff would look upon the man who had conceived such a project as
the saviour of the pontificate; his name should be written in letters
of gold. In Hungary, also, the scheme would be favorably received as a
means of saving the church property already threatened, for the
government dared not refuse this alternative.

Moreover, the primate was an old man; the pope was still older. All
the wheels were in readiness; the machine could now be put in motion.

The day the first locomotive steamed out of the Bondavara station the
Abbe Samuel might say to himself, "The way to Rome is clear." It would
be also safe to prophesy that on this day Ivan Behrend's ruin would be
complete.

* * * * *

This railroad would bring the goods of the Joint-Stock Company into
the markets of the world, where they could compete with the coal of
Prussia and the English coal. But, it will be said, Ivan had the same
chance; his coals were equally good, and the giant with the seven-mile
boots would carry his coal as well as his enemies'. But here was where
the shoes pinched. What was of use to the company was destruction to
him.

The railway was not to run through the valley where his mine was
situated, although that line was the best and most natural course to
take; instead of which mountains had to be made level, tunnels had to
be bored through the hills, to avoid his colliery and to carry the
rails close to the company's mine. In consequence of this, Ivan would
be obliged to make a circuit of a half-day's journey to get to the
railway, and so the freightage to the station made his goods five or
six per cent. dearer than those of the company. For him, therefore,
the railroad was a crushing blow.

In the meantime the end of the year drew near, the time when the
miners were to receive their share from the profits. But profit there
was none. Neither coal nor iron had any sale. The company's low prices
had taken every customer from Ivan.

Any one who possesses ready money can always _say_, even if he loses,
that he wins; the common people call this eating your own entrails.
Ivan had a sum by him, which he had carefully gathered in better days.
It amounted, all told, to several thousands, and he calculated h