the newspapers, you, too,
would have grown enthusiastic," declared the young lady.

"Even quotations advanced," said the banker. "It astonished me, and
I can account for it only by assuming that the triumph of the
common-school system is of general significance and an imperative
desideratum of the times."

"How can you have any doubt about it?" cried his sister. "Our town has
pioneered the way: the rest of Germany will soon adopt the same
system."

Seraphin greeted his father.

"Well, my son, you very likely have heard nothing whatever of this
hubbub about schools?"

"Indeed, I have, father. Carl and I were in the midst of the commotion
at the desecrated church of S. Peter. We saw and heard what it would
have been difficult to imagine." He then proceeded to give his father a
minute account of the meeting. His powerful memory enabled him to
repeat Shund's speech almost verbatim. The father listened attentively,
and occasionally directed a glance of observation at the young lady.
When Shund's coarse ridicule of Christian morals and dogmas was
rehearsed, Mr. Conrad lowered his eyes, and a frown flitted over his
brow. For the rest, his countenance was, as usual, cold and stern.

"This Mr. Shund made quite a strong speech," said he, in a nonchalant
way.

"He rather intensified the colors of truth, 'tis true," remarked
Louise. "The masses, however, like high coloring and vigorous
language."

A servant brought the banker a note.

"Good! Shund is elected to the assembly! The span of bays belongs to
me," exulted Carl Greifmann.

"Your bays Seraphin?" inquired the father. "How is this?"

Mr. Conrad had twice been informed of the wager; he had learned it
first from Seraphin's own lips, then also he had read of it in his
diary; still he asked again, and his son detailed the story a third
time.

"I should sooner have expected to see the heavens fall than to lose
that bet," added Seraphin.

"When a notorious thief and usurer is elected to the chief magistracy
and to the legislative assembly, the victory gained is hardly a
creditable one to the spirit of progress, my dear Carl. Don't you think
so, Louise?" said the landholder.

"You mustn't be too rigorous," replied the lady, with composure. "Rumor
whispers many a bit of scandal respecting Shund which does, indeed,
offend one's sense of propriety; for all that, however, Shund will play
his part brilliantly both in the assembly and in the town council. The
greates