tly dressed, and proving by his manner that he was quite at
his ease. Nothing in his deportment indicated that he had so suddenly
risen from general contempt to universal homage. Mr. Shund frequently
monopolized the conversation, and, when this was the case, the company
listened to his sententious words with breathless attention and many
marks of approbation.

Mentor Greifmann conducted his ward to a retired corner, into which the
rays of light, intercepted by low branches, penetrated but faintly, and
from which a good view of the whole scene could be enjoyed.

"Do you observe Hans there under the baldachin surrounded by his
vassals?" rouned Carl into his companion's ear. "Even you will be made
to feel that progress can lay claim to a touching spirit of magnanimity
and forgiveness. It is disposed to raise the degraded from the dust.
The man who only yesterday was engaged in shoving a car, sweeping
streets, or even worse, to-day may preside over the great council,
provided only he has the luck to secure the good graces of the princes
of progress. Hans Shund, thief, usurer, and nightwalker, is a most
striking illustration of my assertion."

"What particularly disgusts and incenses me," replied the double
millionaire gravely, "is that, under the _regime_ of progress, they who
are degraded, immoral, and criminal, may rise to power without any
reformation of conduct and principles."

"What you say is so much philosophy, my dear fellow, and philosophy is
an antique, obsolete kind of thing that has no weight in times when
continents are being cut asunder and threads of iron laid around the
globe. Moreover, such has ever been the state of things. In the dark
ages, also, criminals attained to power. Just think of those bloody
monarchs who trifled with human heads, and whose ministers, for the
sake of a patch of territory, stirred up horrible wars. Compared with
such monsters, Hans Shund is spotless innocence."

"Quite right, sir," rejoined the landholder, with a smile. "Those
bloody kings and their satanic ministers were monsters--but only--and I
beg you to mark this well--only when judged by principles which modern
progress sneers at as stupid morality and senseless dogma. I even find
that those princely monsters and their conscienceless ministers shared
the species of enlightenment that prides itself on repudiating all
positive religion and moral obligations."

"Thunder and lightning, Seraphin! were not you sitting bodil