This wrecked the druggist’s train of thought; he stammered a little more of German unity and national consciousness, shouted “Hail!” and gave over the floor to the speakers of the evening. Whereupon the Jews became almost the sole topic of discussion. And they were spoken of in such a way that an uninitiated auditor would have believed Vienna to be the most philo-Semitic city in the world. When a wine-dealer began to speak in an anti-Jewish tone he was actually howled off the stage, and when someone called: “We’d be better off if we’d learned from the Jews instead of driving ’em out!” there was much applause. Leo could control himself no longer. His heart beating wildly, he designated his wish to speak, saying to himself as he mounted the platform: “Impudence, stand by me!” He pretended to have an imperfect command of the German language, emphasized over and over again that, as a Frenchman, he was really not entitled to meddle in Austrian affairs; but, he said, his love for this incomparably beautiful and charming city, a close second to--if not the peer of--Paris, forced him to express his views. At this the bearded portion of the audience felt flattered, while the women were delighted by the slender young man, handsome in spite of his imperial beard; and everybody shouted: “Hail!” Thereupon Leo continued with his French accent: “In Paris, too, we have very many Jews, good and bad, useful and noxious. In any case, many of them deserve all respect, and are of great value to the country. But it would never occur to any of us to exile the Jews; instead, we all try to make use of their good points. As this is not my home, I don’t know all the qualities of the Viennese Jews. But I can say that in Paris I met very many exiles from Vienna who made a splendid impression and who doubtless will be good Frenchmen very soon. It is possible that there is a greater difference between the Austrian Christians and the Jews than between the latter and the more emotional and temperamental Frenchmen. But in that case they should complement each other all the better. I hear that in this country the Jews were reproached with controlling capital and possessing more money, proportionately, than the Christian citizens. Very good, ladies and gentlemen. But this merely goes to prove that they think and act more quickly--and from such qualities a wise government should be able to derive benefit for the community.” Loud interjections from all sides: “Yes, indeed, a wise government--but ours is stupid! He’s right! Hail! Hail!”