Herr Berkow had arrived in the afternoon of the day on which Arthur and
his wife had made their excursion through the forest, and had received
them on their return home. This time he did not appear to be in such
excellent spirits as on the occasion of his previous visit, when he had
revelled in the first triumph procured for him in his own house by his
grand new connection.
He was, it is true, now as ever, full of politeness to his
daughter-in-law and of indulgence towards his son, but his manner, even
on the evening of his arrival, showed that he was ruffled, uneasy,
abstracted, and this was still more evident next morning when Arthur
went to his room and asked for an interview.
"Another time, Arthur," said he, evading it, "another time. Do not
tease me about trifles now that my head is full of most important
affairs. The city business and money matters have caused me an immense
amount of worry. Everything is at a standstill, or bringing loss
instead of gain, but you understand nothing about it, and very likely
don't care. I will soon bring things into shape again myself, but pray
spare me all talk about your private concerns just now."
"It is not a private concern of my own this time, sir, the subject has
its importance for you too. I am sorry to take up your time now that
you are overwhelmed with business, but I cannot help it."
"Well--after dinner then," returned Berkow impatiently. "You can very
well wait till then. I have not a moment now; all the officials are
waiting for me over in the committee-room, and I have sent word to the
chief-engineer that I will go down the shaft with him as soon as the
meeting is over."
"Go down with him?" asked the young man, growing attentive. "Do you
mean to inspect the mines personally?"
"No, I am going to see after the alterations in the lifting-apparatus
which have been begun in my absence. What should I do down in the
mines?"
"I thought you were going to ascertain personally whether things are in
as bad a state down below as they pretend."
Berkow turned round suddenly as he was going out, and looked at his son
in surprise. "What do you know about the state of things in the mines?
Who has put such notions into your head? I suppose the Director,
finding I turned a deaf ear to his last demands for cash, has since
applied to my son. Well, he has got to the right man there!"
He laughed out loud, not noticing the displeasure in Arthur's face; the
latter replied with some sharpness:
"But it must be looked into, to find out how far these improvements are
necessary, and as you are going down with the engineers, you might take
advantage of the opportunity to make a more thorough examination of the
shafts and galleries."
"That I certainly shall not," returned Berkow curtly. "Do you think I
want to risk my life? Things are dangerous in their present condition,
there is no doubt about it."
"And yet you send down hundreds of men every day?"
The tone of this question was very peculiar, so peculiar that his
father frowned with annoyance.
"Do you mean to lecture me, Arthur? I fancy a sermon from you would
sound rather odd. You seem to have taken refuge in philanthropy from
the monotony of your stay in the country. I would let that alone if I
were you. It is an expensive pursuit, particularly in our
circumstances. Besides, I shall take good care no accidents happen; I
should incur a loss by it which would be exceedingly ill-timed just
now. The necessary repairs shall be made and things kept in order; but
as for extensive improvements, I have in the first place no money for
them, and in the second, I cannot allow the works to be stopped even
for a day. To have enabled me to do that, your requirements should have
been rather more moderate than they were for some time before your
marriage. But I really don't understand why you a troubling yourself
all at once about things which you generally ignore altogether. You had
better busy yourself with the arrangements for your salon and for the
soirees you will be giving in the city this winter, and leave to me the
care and responsibility of matters which you understand nothing about."
"Nothing," assented the young man with rising bitterness. "You have
taken care of that."
"I do believe you mean to reproach me!" exclaimed Berkow. "Have you not
enjoyed every pleasure in life? Have I ever recoiled before a sacrifice
which could procure you enjoyment? Shall I not leave you a wealthy man,
I who began life without a penny in my pocket? Have I not, by this
marriage of yours with the Baroness Windeg, got you introduced in the
ranks of the nobility to which you will one day belong? I should like
to see the father who has done so much for his son as I have!"
During the whole of this speech, Arthur had stood silent, looking out
of the window.
"You are quite right, sir, but I see you have neither time nor patience
to listen now to what I had intended saying to you. I will wait until
after dinner."
So saying he went out. Berkow looked after him and shook his head. This
son of his was growing incomprehensible to him; but he had, indeed, no
time to spare. He locked his desk hastily, took up his hat, and went
over to the committee-room with a look on his face which presaged but
little sunshine for those who there awaited him.
Meanwhile the miners had assembled about the shaft, ready to begin the
second shift of the day. They were waiting for the overman, who had not
appeared as yet. In and about the shed at the shaft's mouth were
grouped together men of every age and skilled in every branch of
industry which active mining operations call into play. The various
Deputies of the various divisions were there also, but the most
prominent figure of all was Ulric Hartmann, who stood in the midst of
them, with one foot on the steps, his arms crossed, silent at present,
and yet distinguishable as the leading man.
No real discussion could have been held then, both time and place were
unfitted for it, but even at these short casual meetings the talk
turned on the one subject which now occupied all the men on the works.
"You may depend upon it, Ulric, they will not follow us on the other
works," said the young miner Lawrence, who was standing next to
Hartmann. "They think it is too soon; they are not ready; in short,
they have no mind to begin, and would rather wait and see how things
turn out."
Ulric tossed his head defiantly. "What do I care? We will go forward
alone then, we have no time to spare."
A movement of surprise was to be seen amongst the miners. "Alone?"
asked some. "Without our mates?" added others, and the majority
repeated anxiously "Now? Already?"
"Now, I say," declared Ulric imperiously, as he threw a challenging
look around him. "If any man among you is of a different way of
thinking let him say so."
A not inconsiderable number of those present seemed to be of a
different way of thinking, but no one ventured on a decided opposition;
only Lawrence said gravely:
"But you thought yourself it would be better if all the works in the
neighbourhood struck at the same time?"
"Can I help it if they dally and shilly-shally until our patience is
worn out?" asked the young Deputy vehemently. "If they will go on
waiting, we can't, and that they know right well. But they want to send
us on first under fire, that they may see how the thing goes with us.
Right good fellowship that! Well, we will manage without them."
"And you really think that he"--Lawrence glanced in the direction of
the chateau--"that he will give in?"
"He must," said Ulric decidedly, "he must or else ruin himself. Several
of his speculations have just failed, he has had to meet his son's
debts, and the new house in town will be a matter of some thousands. If
there is a stoppage on the works for a couple of months or so just now
when the great contracts have been entered into, it is all up with
their fine doings. Two years ago he might have weathered it, but not
now. We shall get all we want if we threaten to strike."
"God grant we may!" said an elderly man with a pale sunken face and
anxious look. "It would be terrible if we took all that care and
trouble upon us for nothing, if we and our wives and children were to
go on starving for weeks together, and, after all, find things just as
they were. Had not we better wait until our mates ...?"
"Yes, if we were to wait for the others?" was heard from several
voices.
"Talk, talk, and nothing but talk!" broke out Ulric fiercely. "I tell
you now is the time, and we must set about it. Will you go with me, or
will you not? Answer."
"Don't flare out like that," said Lawrence pacificating. "You know well
enough we shall all go with you, if it comes to that. Let them do as
they will on the other works, we are united among ourselves; not a man
of us will desert you."
"I would not recommend any one to remain behind, if once things become
serious," said Ulric, glowering darkly at the corner whence the
opposition had proceeded. "We can't have any cowardice. Every man must
be answerable for his fellow, and woe to him who is found wanting."
The young leader seemed to have adopted the right way of stifling any
possible germs of resistance; his comrades were awed by his despotic
treatment of them. The few dissentient voices, those exclusively of
middle-aged men, were silenced, and the rest of the miners, especially
the younger ones, flocked round Hartmann with loud demonstrations of
approval. He continued more quietly:
"Besides, this is not the time to discuss it all, this evening we
will"----
"The overman!" broke in several voices, while the looks of all turned
to the door.
"Fall apart!" commanded Ulric; obedient to the order, the men dispersed
at once, each miner taking up his safety-lamp which he had previously
placed on one side.
The overman, coming in upon them suddenly and rather unexpectedly,
probably saw the group separate quickly at his approach, and perhaps
heard the word of command, for he looked keenly round the circle.
"You seem to have your men in capital discipline, Hartmann," said he
coldly.
"Pretty fair, sir," returned the other in the same tone.
The overman must have known as well as the other officials what was
going on among the hands, but he preferred to see and hear nothing. He
went on in a matter-of-fact way:
"Herr Berkow is going with the engineers to inspect the pumps and the
lifting apparatus. You are to wait with Lawrence in the shaft,
Hartmann, until the gentlemen come up. Deputy Wilm can lead your men
with his own, and you can follow later on."
Ulric received his instructions in silence and remained behind with
Lawrence, while the others, conducted by the overman, began the
descent. When the last of his comrades had disappeared, the young miner
turned in his wrath.
"They are all cowards together," he muttered angrily. "One can't get
them to move for their fears and their indecision. They know as well as
I do that we must make use of the present time, and yet they won't go
forwards, because the others are not at their back. A very good thing
that it is Berkow we have got to deal with and no other. If he were the
right sort of man, and knew when to show his teeth and when to give
them good words, they would never go through with the business."
"Do you think he will not know?" asked Lawrence, rather distrustfully.
"No, he is a coward like all tyrants. He will talk loudly and harass us
so long as he has the upper hand, but when his skin or his money-bag is
in danger, he will sing small. He has made himself so thoroughly
hateful, and he persists so in driving them on to the last extremity,
that soon not a man among them will hold back, and then it will be all
right. We shall have him in our hands then."
"And the young master? Do you think he won't interfere when the
troubles break out?"
An expression of unconcealed contempt played about Ulric's mouth, as he
answered disdainfully,
"_He_ counts for nothing. He will run away back to the city at the
first alarm and put himself in safety. If we had only him to deal with,
we should settle the business very quickly. He would say yes to
everything, if you threatened not to let him have his sleep out. The
father will give us rather more trouble."
"He is going to inspect the pumps," said Lawrence, reflectively.
"Perhaps he will go into the mine as well?"
Ulric laughed out bitterly.
"What are you dreaming of? Men like us must risk their lives daily.
That is what we are fit for, but our lord and master will remain where
it is safe in the shaft. I wish I had him alone once with me, face to
face. He should learn what it is to tremble, as we so often have to do
down below."
The young man's look and tone were full of such savage hatred that his
more moderate companion thought it better to be silent, and so, for the
time being at least, let the conversation drop.
A long pause ensued. Hartmann went up to the window and looked out
impatiently. All at once he felt the touch of a hand on his shoulder,
and, turning, saw Lawrence standing at his side.
"I want to ask you something, Ulric," began the latter with some
hesitation. "I think you will tell me if I ask it of you. How do
matters stand between you and Martha?"
Some seconds passed before Ulric answered.
"Between me and Martha? What do you want to know for?"
The other looked down.
"You see, I have been courting the girl so long. She would never take
me, because ... because there was some one else. Well, I can't blame
her"--with a wistful glance of admiration at his friend--"and if it is
really a fact that you are standing in my light, well, I must manage to
drive the whole thing out of my head; so tell me, are you of one mind?"
"No, Karl," said Ulric, in a low voice. "We are not of one mind, and we
are not likely to be. We know that now both of us. I shall not stand in
your way any longer with the girl, and I think, if you will try your
luck once more, she will take you."
A gleam of joy passed over Lawrence's face, and he drew himself up
erect with a deep-drawn breath of relief.
"Do you really mean that? Well, if you say so, it must be true, and I
will try once more this very evening."
Ulric frowned.
"This evening? Don't you remember that we have a meeting to-night, and
that you have to attend it, instead of going courting! But you are no
better than the others! Now when we are going into the fight your head
is full of your love-making; now when a man should be thankful to be
without wife and child you are thinking of nothing but of getting
married. There is no bearing with you all!"
"Well, I may ask Martha any way," said Lawrence somewhat hurt. "And if
she really does say yes, it will be some time yet before the wedding.
You don't know how a man feels when there is some one he cares for that
he can't have, how sick at heart he gets when he sees another man with
her day after day, only needing to stretch out his hand to take that
which he would give his life for, and yet not caring to take it.
You"----
"Have done, Karl." Ulric interrupted him with lips working with
agitation, and letting his clenched fist fall so heavily on the
wood-work that it groaned again. "Go to Martha, marry her, do what you
like, but don't talk to me any more of such things. I can't, I won't
bear it."
The young miner looked at his friend in amazement. He could not
comprehend so violent a repulse. There was no doubt that Ulric gave the
girl up freely .... but he had no time to ponder over it, for at this
moment Berkow's sharp voice was heard outside, saying in very
ungracious tones to the officials who accompanied him:
"And now I must beg of you, gentlemen, to have done. The old
ventilators have lasted all this time without an accident, and they
will last longer. We need no expensive novelties which it pleases you
to consider necessary, because they would not be paid for out of your
pockets. Do you think I want a model philanthropic establishment here?
I want the returns to be increased, and the funds required for that
purpose will be granted. All the other items will be erased. If the
miners have to run risks, I can't help that. They earn their bread by
it. I can't throw away thousands to insure a few hewers and trammers
against an accident which might have happened any day, but never has
happened yet. The repairs in the shafts and mines will be limited to
what is strictly necessary to keep things in good working order, and so
there is an end of it."
He pushed open the door of the shed and seemed unpleasantly surprised
at seeing the two men, whom he had certainly not expected to find
there, and who must have overheard his last words. Their presence
appeared to be even more unsatisfactory to the chief-engineer.
"Hartmann, what are you doing up here?" he asked in some embarrassment.
"The overman told us we were to go down the shaft with the gentlemen,"
answered Ulric, keeping his darkly gleaming eyes fixed on Berkow.
The chief-engineer shrugged his shoulders and turned to his principal,
with a look which said plainly enough, "He might as well have chosen
some one else," but he made no reply.
"All right," said Berkow, shortly. "Go on, we will follow you."
The two miners obeyed. When they were out of sight of the others,
Lawrence stopped a moment.
"Ulric!"
"What?"
"Did you hear?"
"That he can't throw away thousands just to insure the lives of a few
hewers and trammers? But the returns are to be increased by tens of
thousands! Well, no one is safe here down below, and he means coming
with us to-day. We shall see whose turn comes first. Off with you,
Karl."