CHAPTER XVIII.

THE ELECTION

The election called forth an interest unprecedented in all the world. Old men, invalids, and cripples went to the ballot-boxes; and in the afternoon, when the polls were closed, it was known that ninety-nine per cent of the enfranchised citizens of Vienna had performed their duty to their country. Then the counting of the votes began throughout the land, lasting till early in the morning; and in the forenoon extra editions of the _Arbeiter-Zeitung_ and the _Weltpresse_ announced the amazing result.

Only the rural districts had remained faithful to the Christian-Socialists and Pan-Germans. Vienna had elected the candidates of the Socialists and the Citizens’ Party almost exclusively, as had also the smaller towns and the industrial region of Austria. The new Parliament, therefore, was composed as follows: Seventy Social-Democrats, thirty-six members of the Active Citizens’ Party, thirty Christian-Socialists, and twenty-four Pan-Germans. This gave a hundred and six votes for the repeal of the special anti-Jewish legislation, and fifty-four for its continuance. Leo’s beautiful dream--and that of the liberal Citizens and Socialists--therefore seemed destroyed, for they lacked exactly one vote for the two-thirds majority without which the Constitution could not be amended. In spite of their overwhelming defeat, in spite of the fact that the government had to resign immediately to make room for a Social-Democratic ministry, the anti-Semites were rejoicing, and paraded about the town with banners inscribed with the slogan: “The Jews are staying out!”

Just one thing did the vanquished victors fear. The majority had announced that it would wait only for the second session of the newly elected House, which would take place in a week, before it would put forward a declaration of urgency for the repeal of the Jewish law and for the restoration of freedom of movement for everyone without discrimination. But what would happen if a Christian-Socialist or Pan-German deputy were to fail to appear at the session? Voluntary absence was beyond the imagination. But, after all, one of the deputies from the rural districts might fall ill or meet with an accident, and this one would assure the enemy of his two-thirds majority. To prevent such a calamity the minority parties, on the day before the assembly of the House, ordered special trains with attendant physicians for all their deputies. In this way they believed themselves secured against any disastrous incident. For Vienna itself precautions were unnecessary, for there their one and only representative was the realtor Herr Wenzel Krötzl, elected by the vine-growers and inn-keepers of the Nineteenth District, who were very prosperous in Jew-purged Vienna. They were sure of him in every respect, and he enjoyed excellent health.

Now this Herr Krötzl was Leo’s last hope, while Lotte almost broke down under the terrible disappointment. She wept all day long, and scarcely could muster the energy to hasten every day to Leo, who vainly endeavored to inspire her with courage and faith in the outcome. Hofrat Spineder, himself deeply hurt and disappointed by the continuance of the anti-Jewish law, could understand his daughter no longer, and began to harbor grave doubts as to her reason. He was very much worried as he discussed her remarkable behavior with his wife.

“What in the world does it mean? She’s forgotten Leo, spends half the day with a new lover, this Frenchman whom I’m beginning to hate without ever having seen him, suddenly declares that she’d like to have both Leo and Dufresne, and now, when Leo can’t come back, she sits there and cries her eyes out. I think the girl’s out of her head!”

Frau Spineder sighed deeply.

“I can’t understand it myself, dear. I don’t know my own child any more, and I’ve no idea as to what’s going on in her heart. But in any case, if it develops that the Jewish law remains in force, we must insist on meeting this M. Dufresne.”

Herr Spineder nodded.

“Yes, indeed! And if Lotte refuses again, or tries to postpone the matter, we’ll send her to Klagenfurt, to her Aunt Minna!”...

After days and nights of strenuous thought Leo finally evolved a plan that would decide whether he could remain in Vienna openly or would have to go back to France. If the law were not repealed his departure would become a matter of urgent necessity, for his friend Henry Dufresne, whose name he bore, himself wanted to return to Paris from southern France, and thenceforth Leo’s reckless game would be in danger of discovery.