"
But Carmichael was mistaken for once.
A little time later Herr Goldberg harangued his fellow socialists
bitterly. Gretchen's business in this society was to serve. They had
selected her because they knew that she inclined toward the propaganda.
Few spoke to her, outside of giving orders, and then kindly.
The rathskeller had several windows and doors. These led to the
_Biergarten_, to the wine-cellar, and to an alley which had no opening
on the street. The police had as yet never arrested anybody; but several
times the police had dispersed Herr Goldberg and his disciples on
account of the noise. The window which led to the blind alley was six
feet from the floor, twice as broad as it was high, and unbarred. Under
this window sat the vintner. He was a probationer, a novitiate; this was
his second attendance. He liked to sit in the shadow and smile at Herr
Goldberg's philosophy, which, summed up briefly, meant that the rich
should divide with the poor and that the poor should hang on to what
they had or got. It may have never occurred to Herr Goldberg that the
poor were generally poor because of their incapabilities, their
ignorance, and incompetence. To-night, however, there were variety and
spice with his Jeremiad.
"Brothers, shall this thing take place? Shall the daughter of Ehrenstein
become Jugendheit's vassal? Oh, how we have fallen! Where is the grand
duke's pride we have heard so much about? Are we, then, afraid of
Jugendheit?"
"No!" roared his auditors, banging their stems and tankards.
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