“They managed to quash it this time,” he thought; “but there will be a next time.”
He walked on until he found himself outside the consul’s house. A light was still burning in the sitting-room. A good impulse took him by the button-hole and said: “Remember your vow in the train!” But there are times when we feel ourselves so morally well-to-do that we think nothing of flinging away a halfpenny. Wangen must have some one to talk to now, and he would only stay a quarter of an hour.
“Why, dear me! Aren’t you arrested yet?” said the consul, who was sitting in his dressing-gown, stirring a freshly-made toddy.
And they sat with the bottle between them, and discussed the matter very thoroughly. Wangen talked himself into more guesses, suspected more rich men, one after another, of being in the conspiracy, and was lavish in his use of forcible expressions about them all. The consul encouraged him with little spiteful remarks, and made numerous mental notes. To-morrow he would go for a walk.
They emptied the bottle between them, and when Wangen went home a little after midnight, he stumbled every now and then over his own boots.
“Poor consul!” he thought, dreading going home; “he has had a hard life, and needs a little sympathy and appreciation.”
When he staggered into the bedroom, his wife awoke with a cry of terror.
His head was heavy next morning; he was ashamed to meet his wife, and again began to dread meeting those who were to come to him that day.
By clinging, however, to his innocence in the one matter, he very soon succeeded in regaining his self-confidence; and when, later in the day, he had to go to the station, he was no longer afraid of meeting people. He began to entertain a dim idea of giving a lecture to the workmen, and explaining to them the true cause of their common ruin.
As he went homewards, the sun was shining upon the wide, snow-covered fields, and dazzled his eyes. There stood the dead factory-buildings with their tall chimneys, seeming to cry to heaven; but it was not with him they had to do. Yesterday in the train he had thought that his own house was too luxurious, and the factory buildings too large and expensive; but now he looked at everything with different eyes. He knew in his own heart that he had built these works in an honest belief in the future of this industry in the district; and a banner of innocence waved over both the works and the house.