“You may be right,” my companion replied, shrugging his lean shoulders. “I hear that Károlyi’s negotiations have all failed. And yet, the matter becomes urgent for him. They want to hurry here too. They envy the priority of Berlin and Vienna. Do you know that when the news of the German events reached the Austrian National Council, it at once decided for the republic, and the Emperor Charles yesterday signed his resignation in Schönbrunn?” “No.... I did not know....” “Under the influence of this event Károlyi’s government admitted that it did not intend to wait for the constitutional assembly to decide on the form the Constitution should take. ‘Companion’ Bokányi abolished Kingship on the day of the revolution.... He does not want it, nor does Kunfi, nor Pogány. Baron Hatvany, Jászi and Paul Kéri are all against it; in short, Kingship has to go.... They made Károlyi sign a declaration for form’s sake, but that does not count. But if it interests you, let us go to the editorial office of the _Pesti Naplo_ where we can read all about it.” In the lighted window, among the latest news, there it was, the text of the proclamation: “The Hungarian National Council has addressed a solemn request to the National Councils formed in the various towns and communes, that they should decide at once whether they agree with the decision of the Hungarian National Council that the future form of the Hungarian state be that of a Republic. A rapid decision and immediate answer are requested.” I felt the same inexpressible disgust that I always feel when I read the writings of the new power. “An immediate answer is requested ...” as if an agent were asking for orders ... “a rapid decision” ... as if it were an auction of somebody’s old clothes: the crown of St. Stephen and the traditions of a thousand Hungarian years. “Don’t let it annoy you,” my companion said bitterly; “it is only a comedy. It makes no difference what they write, and it’s just the same whatever the country answers. The secretariat of the Social Democratic party and the other ‘companions’ have already settled the question. On November the 16th they are going to proclaim the republic, and Károlyi is to be President. And we shall say nothing and do nothing.” “And how long are we going to do nothing?”