consciously sought the pulse of the mass in order to raise its own
rhythm. Even the most rebellious spirits suddenly experienced the
change from individual to joint experience, and into the intercourse of
the several members entered a note of respect and sympathy in face of
the common foe and the common risk. To those spirits belonged
Pratteler. He still obstinately distrusted the leaders, and in his
heart did not discard the motto: Everything is humbug. They made
themselves so big with their "if" and "but," and they made you wait for
them in order to appear necessary and powerful. But the individual man
interested Victor keenly. Those days did far more toward developing his
social soul than he himself suspected. His nose accustomed itself to
the smell of the herd; to use a hunter's term, he had almost acquired
the scent. He followed, though perhaps unwillingly, the physical
atmosphere of this general body, in which he recognized his new master
and lord. As its latest member he was still more by instinct than by
reason plunged in primitive ideas of the possibilities of personal
action and freedom of decision. His highly-colored speech had drawn a
small crowd of super-revolutionists about him, childish, genuine
groundlings, who wanted to be keener than the blade of which they were
only the handle. Some ignorant old fellows also belonged to the clique
and contributed no little to raise Victor's self-esteem. Once in a
while the more experienced soldiers in the army indulgently looked over
their shoulders, and Victor heard perhaps a kindly laugh; but that did
not disturb him. The leaders had no time to bother about the tail;
after all it is there only for the purpose of wagging.

In those days Spiele was again fighting her husband. She complained
that he was not proposing to give her a discount at the future
consumers' store and asked Victor whether he, too, would let her come
off so badly in the big scheme. Then there was some talk about their
leaving the cottage with the garden and moving into the workingmen's
colony. He was ignorant of any reasons for the plan, but agreed with
Spiele that their home was far more attractive and that anybody should
be glad not to have to live in the colony. The matter was very simple.
Being manager of the food centre, Hoeflinger wanted to live in the same
building in which it was to be opened. Since he had no family to look
out for, he at least wished to devote himself thoroughly to the cau