eplied
Gerlach.

"Inclination or disinclination is out of the question when interest
demands it," insisted the banker. "You must profit by the opportunity
which you now have of enriching your knowledge of men and things, or
rather of correcting it; for heretofore your manner of viewing things
has been mere ideal enthusiasm. Come with me, my good fellow!"

Seraphin followed with interior reluctance. Greifmann went on to impart
to him the following information:

"During the past night, there have sprung up, as if out of the earth, a
most formidable host, ready to do battle against the uniformly
victorious army of progress--men thoroughly armed and accoutred, real
crusaders. A bloody struggle is imminent. Try and make of your heart a
sort of monitor covered with plates of iron, so that you may not be
overpowered by the horrifying spectacle of the election affray. I am
not joking at all! True as gospel, what I tell you! If you do not want
to be stifled by indignation at sight of the fiercest kind of
terrorism, of the most revolting tyranny, you will have to lay aside,
at least for to-day, every feeling of humanity."

Gerlach perceived a degree of seriousness in the bubbling current of
Greifmann's levity.

"Who is the enemy that presumes to stand in the way of progress?"
enquired he.

"The ultramontanes! Listen to what I have to tell you. This morning
Schwefel came in to get a check cashed. With surprise I observed that
the manufacturer's soul was not in business? 'How are things going?'
asked I when we had got through.

"'I feel like a man,' exclaimed he, 'that has just seen a horrible
monster! Would you believe it, those accursed ultramontanes have been
secretly meddling in the election. They have mustered a number of
votes, and have even gone so far as to have a yellow ticket printed.
Their yellow placards were to be seen this morning stuck up at every
street corner--of course they were immediately torn down.'

"'And are you provoked at that, Mr. Schwefel! You certainly are not
going to deny the poor ultramontanes the liberty of existing, or, at
least, the liberty of voting for whom they please?'

"'Yes, I am, I am! That must not be tolerated,' cried he wildly. 'The
black brood are hatching dark schemes, they are conspiring against
civilization, and would fain wrest from us the trophies won by
progress. It is high time to apply the axe to the root of the
upas-tree. Our duty is to disinfect thoroughly, to banis