‘“No!”
‘“Aren’t they of very great and high merit? Answer me that.”
‘“Yes.”
‘“Of such great and high merit that, if an illustrious name were attached to them they would sell at splendid prices. Isn’t it so?”
‘“Certainly it is. Nobody doubts that.”
‘“But—I’m not joking—isn’t it so?”
‘“Why, of course it’s so—and we are not joking. But what of it. What of it? How does that concern us?”
‘“In this way, comrades—we’ll attach an illustrious name to them!”
‘The lively conversation stopped. The faces were turned inquiringly upon Carl. What sort of riddle might this be? Where was an illustrious name to be borrowed? And who was to borrow it?
‘Carl sat down, and said: