Machat made himself heard. “If you only knew how wonderful it feels to be in a state of holiness! Gentlemen, take my sincere advice. Give away all that you possess! Become poor and holy! Deliver yourselves from Mammon, and glorify the one God!”

“Come, come,” Mr. Rosenthal tried to calm him down. “We know you for a kind and upright man, Mr. Machat—yes, yes, extremely so. And I have every confidence in you, Mr. Bondy, you know. I tell you what, send me one of those Karburators for my own heating apparatus! I’ll give it a trial, gentlemen. What’s the use of all this talking? What about it, Mr. Bondy?”

“We are all brothers in God’s sight!” continued the radiant Machat. “Gentlemen, let us give the factory to the poor! I move that we change the M.E.C. into a religious community of ‘The Humble of Heart.’ Let us be the seed from which the tree of God shall spring. The Kingdom of God on earth!”

“I demand a hearing,” shouted Dr. Hubka.

“Come, now, Mr. Bondy,” pleaded old Rosenthal in mollifying tones. “You see I am on your side! Lend me one of those Karburators, Mr. Bondy!”

“For God Himself is descending upon the earth,” Machat continued in great excitement. “Hearken to His message: Be ye holy and simple; open your hearts to the infinite; let your love be unbounded. Let me tell you, gentlemen——”

“I demand the floor,” yelled Dr. Hubka hoarsely.

“Silence!” shouted Bondy, pale and with gleaming eyes, as he rose with the whole authority of his massive frame. “Gentlemen, if the factory for Karburators does not suit your fancy, I will take it over under my own personal charge. I will compensate you to the last penny for all the expenditure so far incurred. I resign my position, gentlemen. I beg to take my leave.”

Dr. Hubka darted forward. “But, gentlemen, I protest! We all protest! We will not part with the manufacture of Karburators! A spendid line like that, gentlemen! No, thank you, we are not to be hoodwinked into handing over a valuable business. With your permission, gentlemen——”

Bondy rang the bell. “Friends,” he said gloomily, “we will leave this for the time being. It seems to me that our friend Machat is . . . er . . . slightly indisposed. As far as the Karburator is concerned, gentlemen, I guarantee you a dividend of one hundred and fifty percent. I move that the discussion be now closed.”

Dr. Hubka took the floor. “I move, gentlemen, that every member of the Board of Directors shall receive one Karburator for testing purposes, so to speak.”

Bondy looked at all present. His features twitched. He tried to say something, but he only shrugged his shoulders and hissed between his teeth, “As you please.”

VII. Developments

CHAPTER VII

DEVELOPMENTS

“ HOW do we stand in London?”

“M.E.C. shares were quoted at 1470 yesterday. The day before yesterday they were 750.”

“Good!”