METROPOLIS around. Then the man who had been the Master over Me~ tropolis saw that another man was standing in the room. He stared at him. The sweat trickled down his face in cold, slow, burdensome drops. The face twitched in a terrible impotence. "Where is my son-P" asked Joh Fredersen, babblingly. He stretched out his hand. The hand shot through the au', groping aimlessly. «Do you know, where my son is-?" ]osaphat did not answer. Yes, the answer shouted in his throat. But he could not form the words. There was a fist at his throat, strangling him. . . . God-Almighty God ill highest heaven, was it Joh Fredel'sen who was standing before hiInP Job Fredersen made an uncertain step towards him. He bent his head low to look at him the more closely.· He nodded again. "I know you," he said tonlessly. "You are ]osaphat and you were my .first secretary. I sent you away. I b'eated you cruelly. I did you wrong and I ruined you.. .. I beg your forgiveness I am sorry that I was ever cruel to you or to anyone else Forgive me. ... Forgive me, Josaphat, for ten hours I have- not known where my son is. . . . For ten hours, Josaphat, I have been sending all the men I could get hold of, down into that damned city to look for my son, and I know it is senseless, and I know it is quite pointless, the day is breaking, and I am talking and talking and I know that I am a fool but perhaps, perhaps you know where my son is ... ?,. "Captured," said Josaphat, and it was as though he ripped the word from his gullet, and feared to bleed to death there.from. "Captured... ." A stupid smile hovered over Joh Fredersen's face. "What does that mean. '.' captured . .. ?,. "The mob has captured him, Joh Fredersenl" ·Cap!;W'ed-?,' "Yes. nMy son-?" "Yesl-Freder, your son-'" A senseless, pitiable. animal sound broke from Joh Freder-
210
