salute us."

Seraphin had attentively observed the man thus characterized, but with
the feelings with which one views an ugly blotch, a dirty page in the
record of humanity.

Mr. Shund lowered his hat, his neck and back, with oriental
ceremoniousness in presence of the millions on the balcony. Carl
acknowledged the salute, and even Louise returned it with a friendly
inclination of the head.

The landholder, on the contrary, was cold, and felt hurt at Greifmann's
bowing to a fellow whom he had just described as a scoundrel. That
Louise, too, should condescend to smile to a thief, swindler, usurer,
and immoral wretch! In his opinion, Louise should have followed the
dictates of a noble womanhood, and have looked with honest pity on the
scapegrace. She, on the contrary, greeted the bad man as though he were
respectable, and this conduct wounded the young man's feelings.

"Apropos of Hans Shund, I will take occasion to convince you of the
correctness of my statements," said Carl Greifmann. "Three days hence,
the municipal election is to come off. Mr. Shund is to be elected
mayor. And when the election of deputies takes place, this same Shund
will command enough of the confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens
to be elected to the legislative assembly, thief and usurer though he
be. You will then, I trust, learn to understand that the might of
progress is far removed from the bigotry that would subject a man's
qualifications to a microscopic examination. The enlarged and liberal
principles prevailing in secular concerns are opposed to the
intolerance that would insist on knowing something of an able man's
antecedents before consenting to make use of him. All that Shund will
have to do will be to fall in under the glorious banner of the spirit
of the age; his voting trumpet will be given him; and forthwith he will
turn out a finished mayor and deputy. Do you not admire the power and
stretch of _liberalism_?"

"I certainly do admire your faculty for making up plausible stories,"
answered Seraphin.

"Plausible stories? Not at all! Downright earnest, every word of it.
Hans Shund, take my word for it, will be elected mayor and member of
the assembly."

"In that event," replied the landholder, "Shund's disreputable
antecedents and disgusting conduct at present must be altogether a
secret to his constituents."

"Again you are mistaken, my dear friend. This remark proceeds from your
want of acquaintance with the genius