“Have you not already been paid? At the time you were struck, the General de Trémont was dead. Perhaps it was he who was taking his vengeance on you!” “The old fool! He had only to accede to your request when you were inducing him to tell you the secret of his safe. Then nothing would have happened!” “Hans, it all happened because you were in too great a hurry. You destroyed all my combinations through your brutality. Had you merely given me another week the poor fool would have given up to me his secret, his honour, and everything else. Your intervention put him on his guard; he recovered from his torpor, and all was lost!” “No reproaches, please. This mistake has cost me dearly enough. Now, how do matters stand here?” “If you will leave me to act in my own way, I shall succeed.” “Good! Good! I, too, am preparing a slight diversion, which will be of use. Besides, it will please Lichtenbach.” “What do you intend to do?” “Stir up the workmen at the manufactory.” “Then you intend to make a tool of socialism?” “Certainly. In it lies the future of society. The thoughtless, brutal mob, under the sway of a few bold leaders, will obtain for themselves universal dominion and rule.” “How long will this be your rule of conduct?” “Until everything in this execrably rotten society is destroyed.” “What will you put in its place?” “That is the secret of time. The revolution will tell it to us.” “I hate your opinions as well as those who maintain them.” “I know, I know,” interrupted Hans, with a loud laugh. “You are an aristocrat, Sophia, and equality is not to your liking. You must have luxury and superiority always around you. But how do you know that we shall not give them to you? We aim at levelling, but it is the levelling of those who rise above us. Have you ever seen a flock of sheep without a shepherd and his dog to guide them? Then how could nations live without a head? The great thing is to command. For this power must be snatched from the hands of those who now have it, by means of certain privileges we pretend to suppress because we do not enjoy them. Once power is in our hands, torrents of blood will have to be shed before it can be taken from us. Who would try to do so? Only revolutionists have any energy left, for they alone are governed by passion. Revolution is the only means of succeeding rapidly. To-day I am nothing; in the near future I intend to be everything. To attain to my object I suppress everything in my way. This is the meaning, expressed briefly, of all the burlesque rigmarole uttered by these apostles of humanity. Their love and thoughts are entirely for themselves. And that suffices.” Sophia laughed aloud. “They are mere brigands. You are another, but you must take care, Hans, for those you dream of spoiling will not let themselves be robbed so easily as you think. They have invented the police, a tolerably effective safeguard. But what are you preparing for these poor Baradiers and Graffs?”