Meanwhile, the professor, unable to curb his enthusiasm, continued
expounding the grandeur of his race. From his viewpoint, the
providential Kaiser had shown inexplicable weakenings. He was too good
and too kind. "Deliciae generis humani," as had said Professor Lasson,
another of Hartrott's masters. Able to overthrow everything with
his annihilating power, the Emperor was limiting himself merely to
maintaining peace. But the nation did not wish to stop there, and was
pushing its leader until it had him started. It was useless now to put
on the brakes. "He who does not advance recedes";--that was the cry of
PanGermanism to the Emperor. He must press on in order to conquer the
entire world.

"And now war comes," continued the pedant. "We need the colonies of the
others, even though Bismarck, through an error of his stubborn old age,
exacted nothing at the time of universal distribution, letting England
and France get possession of the best lands. We must control all
countries that have Germanic blood and have been civilized by our
forbears."

Hartrott enumerated these countries. Holland and Belgium were German.
France, through the Franks, was one-third Teutonic blood. Italy. . . .
Here the professor hesitated, recalling the fact that this nation
was still an ally, certainly a little insecure, but still united by
diplomatic bonds. He mentioned, nevertheless, the Longobards and other
races coming from the North. Spain and Portugal had been populated by
the ruddy Goth and also belonged to the dominant race. And since the
majority of the nations of America were of Spanish and Portuguese
origin, they should also be included in this recovery.