upon that, and that anyhow, under no circumstances, should
a wholly innocent person be made to suffer for the crimes of
another. These journals were suppressed, but the next day a
set of new papers were started to promulgate the same theories
as to individual rights. The province of Cimmeria declared
itself independent of the throne, and set up in the business
of government for itself. Gehenna declared for the Emperor,
but insisted upon home rule for cities of its own class,
and finally, as I informed you at the beginning, Washington,
Cromwell, and Caesar went in person to Apollyon and demanded
a constitution. That was the day before yesterday, and just
what will come of it we don't as yet know, because Washington
and Cromwell and Caesar have not been seen since, but we have
great fears for them, because seventeen car-loads of vitriol
and a thousand extra tons of coal were ordered by the Lord
High Steward of the palace to be delivered to the Minister of
Justice last night."

"Quite a complication," said I. "The Americanization of Hades
has begun at last. How does society regard the affair?"

"Variously," observed Boswell. "Society hates the government as
much as anybody, and really believes in curtailing the Emperor's
powers, but, on the other hand, it desires to maintain all of
its own aristocratic privileges. The main trouble in Hades at
present is the gradual disintegration of society; that is to
say, its former component parts are beginning to differentiate
themselves the one from the other."

"Like capital and labor here?" I queried.