MAGNUS (_almost asleep; rouses himself with an effort_) So, without cheap meat and cheap labor, I couldn’t sell at cheap prices. My wife sold her jewels. I kept books for a former rival. THE DEVIL (_thumbing Magnus’s forehead_) That’s what you got for being honest and loving your fellow-men, eh? How did you get the courage to be a crook? MAGNUS My boy—Charles—consumptive—needed change of air to save his life—Denver—Los Angeles— the Riviera.—A bookkeeper gets twenty a week—(_His head drops on breast again_) THE DEVIL No chance there! Well? MAGNUS (_painfully dragging out the words in spite of intense sleepiness_) _Tried_ to save enough—no use—couldn’t.—So at last moment I falsified books—sent the boy away—(_His head drops_) THE DEVIL (_revives him_) Then? MAGNUS Speculated—to return first money—won—the fever got me. I took all I could get from the office safe—plunged—won—(_Relapses: head drops_) THE DEVIL Honesty ruined you. Stealing made you rich. Loving your fellow-men nearly killed your boy. Hating them saved him—eh? (_Shakes him_) MAGNUS (_roused, speaks in shrill voice_) Went back into the old business. Did what others did. Ran the thousands into millions. Bought steel-mills with the millions. Froze the little fellows out. THE DEVIL Hating them! MAGNUS Hating everybody. Needed banks to swing deals. Gave a million to politicians. United States Treasury made my banks National Banks. THE DEVIL National! Ha, ha!—National! [_Magnus’s head drops on his breast._ THE DEVIL (_reviving him_) And lent you Government money to run more little fellows out of business, eh? MAGNUS When I controlled the clearing-house, I refused some banks clearing-house privileges. THE DEVIL That meant: either do as you said or close their doors? When they realized that, you began to control the money-market. The National Currency? You and your friends are the Mint—the Treasury of the Nation. You finance wars—make governments—keep out of office honest men who won’t make the laws you want—(_Revives him_) MAGNUS (_drowsily_) No man can be President unless I say so. [_The light darts at him._ THE DEVIL You could put all good men in and throw all bad ones out? But, instead, you throw all good ones out and put all bad ones in. Those who will do as you say. [_Magnus sleeps noisily._ THE DEVIL Look, Schwartzenhopfel! The Law of the Land—there! [_Magnus snores. A dim radiance begins to surround his head. The light draws as close as possible. A few splashes of rain fall on the windows._ THE DEVIL (_to the light_) I am going to teach him that while one cannot be honest in this world—today—dishonesty can be atoned for only by loving one’s fellows more instead of less. And loving, helping— [_The radiance grows around Magnus. The light draws close to it._ THE DEVIL (_to the light_) Schwartzenhopfel—come away! Don’t be in too much of a hurry! [_The light retreats reluctantly._ THE DEVIL (_to the light_)