Meanwhile the pastor had put on his spectacles and regained his usual presence of mind. Though the introduction and the second part of his speech had been lost, there was still the third part left. Boehme was always resourceful in a difficulty, so he cleared his throat, and began: "Although, dear Gottlieb, your feelings as a father may be deeply wounded, and you may sometimes justly complain----" Adler roused himself from his reverie, and replied calmly: "It's more than mere complaining; I have to pay. Johann!" he suddenly shouted, with a voice that shook the roof of the portico. The footman appeared. "A glass of water!" He emptied two glasses, and then said without a shade of excitement: "I must telegraph to Rothschilds' to-night. I will send that rascal a wire too; he must come back; he has had enough travelling." Boehme realized that not only the chance of the third part of his speech was gone, but that Adler was treating his son far too indulgently. To incur debts of nearly sixty thousand roubles was not only a financial loss, but an abuse of parental confidence, and therefore no light offence. Who knows? If it had not been for this money, Adler might have been persuaded to found a school for the children, without which they were growing up idle and wild. Instead of standing up for the frivolous son, the pastor would now become his censor, which was all the easier for him as he had known him from his childhood. Moreover, he had now recovered his spectacles and his balance of mind. Adler was leaning back with his hands clasped behind his head, looking at the ceiling. Boehme put his hand on his knee and began: "My dear Gottlieb, your Christian submission in misfortune sets an excellent example; but as we are very imperfect in the sight of God, it is our duty not only to be resigned, but to be active. Our Lord not only sacrificed Himself, but taught and improved men. Ferdinand is your son in the flesh, and mine in the spirit. In spite of his gifts and good qualities, he does not carry out the injunctions to work which were laid upon man when he was driven from Paradise." "Johann!" shouted Adler. The footman instantly appeared. "The engine is going too fast; tell them to slacken down! It's always like that when I am out of the way." The footman disappeared, and the pastor continued, undismayed: "Your son does not work, but wastes the powers of body and mind given him by the Creator. I have told you my principles on this point many times, and in educating my son Józef I have endeavoured to be faithful to them." Adler shook his head gloomily. "What is Józef going to do when he leaves the technical college?" he asked unexpectedly. "Go into an engineering business or factory, and perhaps in time become a director." "And when he is a director?" "He will go on working." "What for?" Boehme was taken aback. "In order to be useful to himself and others," he replied.