“The Jew papers mustn’t hear that,” thought Fronz as he continued: “As I may conclude from the extremely pessimistic report of our Finance Minister, Professor Trumm, the expulsion of the Jews will burden us with enormous debts, payable in gold, while the circulation of our bank-notes will not be diminished to any appreciable extent.” “Is everything going smoothly in the liquidation and taking over of the financial houses, banks, and corporations?” “In this connection everything is in full swing; but unfortunately it seems that our native capitalists are either unwilling or unable to take over the large undertakings, so that the overwhelming majority of the new entrepreneurs are foreigners. Already the Länderbank, the Kreditanstalt, the Anglobank, the Escompte-Gesellschaft, and other great banks have fallen into the hands of Italians, Englishmen, Frenchmen, Czechoslovaks, and the like, as have also our great industrial enterprises. Only today a Dutch syndicate has taken over the Simmering locomotive factory. Of course we’re devilish careful that no foreign Jews worm themselves into the country in this way, and every sale contract emphasizes the clause that denies the privilege of either temporary or permanent sojourn in Austria to foreign Jews also. But there is no way of preventing Jews from being included among the stockholders and directors of the foreign companies which are buying up our corporations.” The Chancellor rested his massive round forehead on his bony hand; with a wave of his hand he dismissed all unpleasant thoughts, and said evenly: “Transitory manifestations, which will take care of themselves later. How is the expulsion going on?” “Exactly as provided by the law. Both the police and the railway bureau are doing excellent work; an average of ten trains full of exiles leaves Austria every day, going in all directions; and so far about four hundred thousand Jews have left the country.” Schwertfeger looked up in amazement. “How can that be? We had intended to exile about half a million. And now, when only a third of the calculated time has passed, we are through with four-fifths of them?”