The Price He Paid — page 181: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

172 ASSESSOR WINTERFELDS PAMPHLET. “This must not be,” said the burgomaster, un- easily. “The general exasperation is so great that any display of military force would only add fuel to the flame. There would be resistance and blood- shed. I had made up my mind not to set foot in the castle again, unless absolutely compelled to go there; but now I think I must make one last at- tempt to dissuade them. from any extreme course.” “IT would advise you not to go,” returned the superintendent. “I can tell you beforehand, you will get nothing byit. The baron is not in a for- bearing mood to-day. He has had news which will ruffle his temper for weeks to come.” “IT know,” put in the other. “Assessor Winter- feld’s pamphlet. I received it from the capital this morning.” “What, you have heard of it too? Well, I must say they have lost no time in circulating the book. They seem to have feared it might be suppressed, and to have done what they could to forestall the edict. I think there were no grounds for the appre- hension, however. It looks very much as though in high places the intention was to let the matter take its course.” “Really; and what says Raven to all this? The attack can hardly have come upon him unawares. He must have received some hint of what was brew- “Tam afraid he received no hint whatever. His whole manner betrays the fact that he has been taken by surprise. He wraps himself in his usual reserve, but he cannot altogether conceal that he is perturbed and frightfully -irritated. My allusions to the matter in question were met so ungraciously that I thought it better to drop the subject. It is really an unprecedented attack, and an outrage- ously imprudent one into the bargain. When such opinions are to be disseminated among the people, they are generally given to the public in an anony- mous form. The author lets the first fury of the storm wear itself out before he gives his name; he allows himself to be sought out and divined, and only emerges from his retirement when obliged or Eomicbooks (E(0)