In his diplomatic fashion the old gentleman made various intimations
that if he had remained at the head of things all would have happened
differently. What Apollonius had spoiled, he would now carry out to
the best possible end. Necessity had placed him at the helm again, and
he would remain there. He forgot that he had twice been forced to the
acknowledgment that when one becomes old, control in the business is
only possible when one need not see through strange eyes. He was to
experience this now for a third time. Since the night before his older
son met a violent death, Herr Nettenmair had resumed his position as
manager of the business. Apollonius reported to him daily concerning
the progress of current work and received orders. When a piece of work
has once been fairly started it can go on by itself and requires from
the superintendent nothing but inspection and an occasional stimulus.
If, however, something new is to be undertaken, a groove must be
sought in which it can run, and the groove must be the shortest,
surest, and most profitable. Clear-seeing eyes are needed, with a
quick power to grasp. That Apollonius possessed these the old
gentleman perceived on the first occasion. It pertained to a
particularly difficult piece of work. Apollonius put it before him
with such clearness that the old gentleman believed he saw it with his
bodily eyes. It was a case, however, in which his experience failed
him. To Apollonius it presented no difficulties. He pointed out three
or four different ways in which it could be done and reduced the old
gentleman to such a state of confusion that he could scarcely conceal
it. A curious, wild train of contradictory sensations rushed through
his brain--joy and pride in his son, then pain that he was nothing and
never could be any more, then shame and wrath that his son knew this
and triumphed over him; the desire to curb him and show him that he
still was lord and master. But even if he wanted to carry his point,
would his son obey? There was no way to preserve even the appearance
of leadership save through his diplomatic art. In a grim voice he gave
commands which were utterly unnecessary, because they pertained to
things which would have been done as a matter of course without
command. In new matters he angrily disapproved of all suggestions made
by Apollonius; but the commands which he finally gave were always in
general accordance with that which Apollonius had suggested as most