one of the fresh faces could appear at the doorwaystunned surprise had fallen from him was beside thetable with a bound and a noise in his throat like a wild beastcaught up the revolver and took aim at didnot flinch but he put up a pale and polite handbe such a silly man he said with the effeminate dignityof a curate you see its not necessary you see thatwere both in the same boat and jolly seasickcould not speak but he could not fire either and helooked his questionyou see weve checkmated each other cried canttell the police you are an anarchist cant tell the anarchistsa policeman can only watch you knowing what you are youcan only watch me knowing what am short its a lonelyintellectual duel my head against yours a policeman deprivedof the help of the police my poor fellow are an anarchistdeprived of the help of that law and organisation which is soessential to anarchy one solitary difference is in yourfavour are not surrounded by inquisitive policemen amsurrounded by inquisitive anarchists cannot betray you but betray myself come wait and see me betray myself do it so nicelyput the pistol slowly down still staring at as if hewere a seamonsterdont believe in immortality he said at last but if afterall this you were to break your word would make a hell onlyfor you to howl in for evershall not break my word said sternly nor will youbreak yours are your friendsmass of the anarchists entered the room heavily with aslouching and somewhat weary gait but one little man with ablack beard and glassesa man somewhat of the type of himself and bustled forward with some papersin his handhe said suppose this man is a delegatetaken by surprise looked down and muttered the name ofbut replied almost pertlyam glad to see that your gate is well enough guarded to make ithard for anyone to be here who was not a delegatebrow of the little man with the black beard was however stillcontracted with something like suspicionbranch do you represent he asked sharplyshould hardly call it a branch said laughing shouldcall it at the very least a rootdo you meanfact is said serenely the truth is am ahave been specially sent here to see that you showa due observance of little man dropped one of his papers and a flicker of fearwent over all the faces of the group the awfulwhose name was did sometimes send down suchirregular ambassadors to such branch meetingscomrade said the man with the papers after a pause wed better give you a seat in the meetingyou ask my advice as a friend said with severebenevolence think youd betterheard the dangerous dialogue end with a sudden safetyfor his rival he rose abruptly and paced the floor in painfulthought was indeed in an agony of diplomacy was clearthat inspired impudence was likely to bring him out of allmerely accidental dilemmas was to be hoped from them not himself betray partly from honour but partly alsobecause if he betrayed him and for some reason failed to destroyhim the who escaped would be a freed from all obligationof secrecy a who would simply walk to the nearest policestation all it was only one nights discussion and onlyone detective who would know of it would let out as little aspossible of their plans that night and then let go andchance itstrode across to the group of anarchists which was alreadydistributing itself along the benchesthink it is time we began he said the steamtug is waitingon the river already move that takes the chairbeing approved by a show of hands the little man with thepapers slipped into the presidential seathe began as sharp as a pistolshot our meetingtonight is important though it need not be long branchhas always had the honour of electing for the have elected many and splendid lament the sad decease of the heroic worker who occupied thepost until last week you know his services to the cause wereconsiderable organised the great dynamite coup of under happier circumstances ought to have killed everybodyon the pier you also know his death was as selfdenying ashis life for he died through his faith in a hygienic mixture ofchalk and water as a substitute for milk which beverage heregarded as barbaric and as involving cruelty to the cowor anything approaching to cruelty revolted him alwaysit is not to acclaim his virtues that we are met but for aharder task is difficult properly to praise his qualities butit is more difficult to replace them you comrades itdevolves this evening to choose out of the company present the manwho shall be any comrade suggests a name will putit to the vote no comrade suggests a name can only tellmyself that that dear dynamiter who is gone from us has carriedinto the unknowable abysses the last secret of his virtue and hisinnocencewas a stir of almost inaudible applause such as is sometimesheard in church a large old man with a long and venerablewhite beard perhaps the only real workingman present roselumberingly and saidmove that be elected and satlumberingly down againanyone second asked the chairmanlittle man with a velvet coat and pointed beard secondedput the matter to the vote said the chairman willcall on to make a statementrose amid a great rumble of applause face was deadlypale so that by contrast his queer red hair looked almost scarlethe was smiling and altogether at ease had made up his mindand he saw his best policy quite plain in front of him like a whiteroad best chance was to make a softened and ambiguous speechsuch as would leave on the detectives mind the impression that theanarchist brotherhood was a very mild affair after all believedin his own literary power his capacity for suggesting fine shadesand picking perfect words thought that with care he couldsucceed in spite of all the people around him in conveying animpression of the institution subtly and delicately false once thought that anarchists under all their bravado wereonly playing the fool he not now in the hour of peril makethink so againbegan in a low but penetrating voice it isnot necessary for me to tell you what is my policy for it is yourpolicy also belief has been slandered it has been disfiguredit has been utterly confused and concealed but it has never beenaltered who talk about anarchism and its dangers goeverywhere and anywhere to get their information except to usexcept to the fountain head learn about anarchists fromsixpenny novels they learn about anarchists from tradesmensnewspapers they learn about anarchists from and the never learn aboutanarchists from anarchists have no chance of denying themountainous slanders which are heaped upon our heads from one endof to another man who has always heard that we arewalking plagues has never heard our reply know that he will nothear it tonight though my passion were to rend the roof it isdeep deep under the earth that the persecuted are permitted toassemble as the assembled in the if bysome incredible accident there were here tonight a man who all hislife had thus immensely misunderstood us would put this questionto him those met in those what sort ofmoral reputation had they in the streets above tales weretold of their atrocities by one educated to another would say to him suppose that we are only repeating thatstill mysterious paradox of history we seem as shocking asthe because we are really as harmless as the we seem as mad as the because we are really asmeekapplause that had greeted the opening sentences had beengradually growing fainter and at the last word it stoppedsuddenly the abrupt silence the man with the velvet jacketsaid in a high squeaky voicenot meektells us resumed that he is notmeek how little he knows himself words are indeedextravagant his appearance is ferocious and even to an ordinarytaste unattractive only the eye of a friendship as deep anddelicate as mine can perceive the deep foundation of solid meeknesswhich lies at the base of him too deep even for himself to see we are the true early only that we come toolate are simple as they revere simplelook at are modest as they were modestlook at me aremercifulno called out with the velvet jacketsay we are merciful repeated furiously as the earlywere merciful this did not prevent their beingaccused of eating human flesh do not eat human fleshcried notsaid with a feverish gaiety isanxious to know why nobody eats him laughter our society atany rate which loves him sincerely which is founded upon loveno said down with loveis founded upon love repeated grinding his teeththere will be no difficulty about the aims which we shall pursueas a body or which should pursue were chosen as therepresentative of that body careless of the slanders thatrepresent us as assassins and enemies of human society we shallpursue with moral courage and quiet intellectual pressure thepermanent ideals of brotherhood and simplicityresumed his seat and passed his hand across his foreheadsilence was sudden and awkward but the chairman rose like anautomaton and said in a colourless voiceanyone oppose the election of assembly seemed vague and subconsciously disappointed andmoved restlessly on his seat and muttered inhis thick beard the sheer rush of routine however the motionwould have been put and carried as the chairman was openinghis mouth to put it sprang to his feet and said in a smalland quiet voiceopposemost effective fact in oratory is an unexpected change in thevoice evidently understood oratory saidthese first formal words in a moderated tone and with a briefsimplicity he made his next word ring and volley in the vault asif one of the guns had gone offhe cried in a voice that made every man jump out ofhis boots have we come here for this we live underground likerats in order to listen to talk like this is talk we mightlisten to while eating buns at a treat we linethese walls with weapons and bar that door with death lest anyoneshould come and hear saying to us good andyou will be happy is the best policy and isits own reward was not a word in addressto which a curate could not have listened with pleasure hearhear am not a curate loud cheers and did not listen toit with pleasure renewed cheers man who is fitted to make agood curate is not fitted to make a resolute forcible andefficient hear hearhas told us in only too apologetic a tone thatwe are not the enemies of society say that we are theenemies of society and so much the worse for society are theenemies of society for society is the enemy of humanity itsoldest and its most pitiless enemy hear hear told us apologetically again that we are not murderers agree are not murderers we are executioners cheerssince had risen had sat staring at him his faceidiotic with astonishment in the pause his lips of clayparted and he said with an automatic and lifeless distinctnessdamnable hypocritelooked straight into those frightful eyes with his own paleblue ones and said with dignityaccuses me of hypocrisy knows as well as dothat am keeping all my engagements and doing nothing but my dutydo not mince words do not pretend to say that is unfit to be for all his amiable qualities unfit to be because of his amiable qualities do notwant the of infected with a maudlin mercyhear hear is no time for ceremonial politeness neither isit a time for ceremonial modesty set myself against as would set myself against all the ofbecause the anarchist who has given himself to anarchy hasforgotten modesty as much as he has forgotten pride cheers amnot a man at all am a cause renewed cheers set myselfagainst as impersonally and as calmly as shouldchoose one pistol rather than another out of that rack upon thewall and say that rather than have and hismilkandwater methods on the would offer myselffor electionsentence was drowned in a deafening cataract of applause that had grown fiercer and fiercer with approval as histirade grew more and more uncompromising were now distorted withgrins of anticipation or cloven with delighted cries themoment when he announced himself as ready to stand for the post ofa roar of excitement and assent broke forth and becameuncontrollable and at the same moment sprang to his feetwith foam upon his mouth and shouted against the shoutingyou blasted madmen he cried at the top of a voice thattore his throat youlouder than shouting and louder than the roar of theroom came the voice of still speaking in a peal of pitilessthunderdo not go to the to rebut that slander that calls usmurderers go to earn it loud and prolonged cheering thepriest who says these men are the enemies of religion to thejudge who says these men are the enemies of law to the fatparliamentarian who says these men are the enemies of order andpublic decency to all these will reply are false kingsbut you are true prophets am come to destroy you and to fulfilyour propheciesheavy clamour gradually died away but before it had ceasedhad jumped to his feet his hair and beard all on endand had saidmove as an amendment that be appointed to the postall this tell you cried with frantic face andhands it it is allvoice of the chairman clove his speech with a cold accentanyone second this amendment he said tall tired manwith melancholy eyes and an chin beard was observed onthe back bench to be slowly rising to his feet had beenscreaming for some time past now there was a change in his accentmore shocking than any scream end all this he said in avoice as heavy as stoneman cannot be elected is asaid quite motionless what is he mouthworked twice without sound then slowly the blood began to crawlback into his dead face is a man quite inexperienced in ourwork he said and sat down abruptlyhe had done so the long lean man with the beardwas again upon his feet and was repeating in a high beg to second the election of amendment will as usual be put first said thechairman with mechanical rapidityquestion is that had again sprung to his feet panting and passionatehe cried out am not a madmanoh said am not a madman reiterated with a frightful sinceritywhich for a moment staggered the room but give you a counselwhich you can call mad if you like will not call it acounsel for can give you no reason for it will call it acommand it a mad command but act upon it but hearme me but obey me not elect this man is soterrible even in fetters that for a moment slender andinsane victory swayed like a reed you could not have guessedit from bleak blue eyes merely begancommandsthe spell was snapped and one anarchist called out to are you are not and another anarchist added in aheavier voice you are not cried in a voice like that of a martyr who inan ecstacy of pain has passed beyond pain it is nothing to mewhether you detest me as a tyrant or detest me as a slave youwill not take my command accept my degradation kneel to you myself at your feet implore you not elect this mansaid the chairman after a painful pause thisis really not quite dignifiedthe first time in the proceedings there was for a few seconds areal silence fell back in his seat a pale wreck of aman and the chairman repeated like a piece of clockwork suddenlystarted againquestion is that be elected to the post ofon the roar rose like the sea the hands rose like a forest and threeminutes afterwards of the elected to the post of on the of theof in the room seemed to feel the tug waiting on the riverthe swordstick and the revolver waiting on the table instantthe election was ended and irrevocable and had received thepaper proving his election they all sprang to their feet and thefiery groups moved and mixed in the room found himselfsomehow or other face to face with who still regarded himwith a stare of stunned hatred were silent for many minutesare a devil said at lastyou are a gentleman said with gravitywas you that entrapped me began shaking from headto foot entrapped me intosense said shortly what sort of devilsparliament have you entrapped me if it comes to that made meswear before made you we are both doing what we thinkright what we think right is so damned different that therecan be nothing between us in the way of concession isnothing possible between us but honour and death and he pulledthe great cloak about his shoulders and picked up the flask fromthe tableboat is quite ready said bustling up goodenough to step this waya gesture that revealed the shopwalker he led down ashort ironbound passage the still agonised followingfeverishly at their heels the end of the passage was a doorwhich opened sharply showing a sudden blue and silverpicture of the moonlit river that looked like a scene in atheatre to the opening lay a dark dwarfish steamlaunchlike a baby dragon with one red eyein the act of stepping on board turned to thegaping have kept your word he said gently with his face in shadoware a man of honour and thank you have kept it evendown to a small particular was one special thing youpromised me at the beginning of the affair and which you havecertainly given me by the end of itdo you mean cried the chaotic did promiseyouvery entertaining evening said and he made a militarysalute with the swordstick as the steamboat slid awaywas not merely a detective who pretended to be a poethe was really a poet who had become a detective was his hatredof anarchy hypocritical was one of those who are driven earlyin life into too conservative an attitude by the bewildering follyof most revolutionists had not attained it by any tametradition respectability was spontaneous and sudden arebellion against rebellion came of a family of cranks inwhich all the oldest people had all the newest notions of hisuncles always walked about without a hat and another had made anunsuccessful attempt to walk about with a hat and nothing else cultivated art and selfrealisation his mother went in forsimplicity and hygiene the child during his tenderer yearswas wholly unacquainted with any drink between the extremes ofabsinth and cocoa of both of which he had a healthy dislike his mother preached a more than abstinence the moredid his father expand into a more than pagan latitude and by thetime the former had come to enforcing vegetarianism the latter hadpretty well reached the point of defending cannibalismsurrounded with every conceivable kind of revolt frominfancy had to revolt into something so he revolted intothe only thing leftsanity there was just enough in him ofthe blood of these fanatics to make even his protest for commonsense a little too fierce to be sensible hatred of modernlawlessness had been crowned also by an accident happened thathe was walking in a side street at the instant of a dynamiteoutrage had been blind and deaf for a moment and then seenthe smoke clearing the broken windows and the bleeding facesthat he went about as usualquiet courteous rather gentlebut there was a spot on his mind that was not sane did notregard anarchists as most of us do as a handful of morbid mencombining ignorance with intellectualism regarded them as ahuge and pitiless peril like a invasionpoured perpetually into newspapers and their wastepaper basketsa torrent of tales verses and violent articles warning men ofthis deluge of barbaric denial he seemed to be getting nonearer his enemy and what was worse no nearer a living hepaced the embankment bitterly biting a cheap cigar andbrooding on the advance of there was no anarchist witha bomb in his pocket so savage or so solitary as he healways felt that stood alone and desperate with itsback to the wall was too quixotic to have cared for itotherwisewalked on the once under a dark red sunset redriver reflected the red sky and they both reflected his anger indeed was so swarthy and the light on the river relativelyso lurid that the water almost seemed of fiercer flame than thesunset it mirrored looked like a stream of literal fire windingunder the vast caverns of a subterranean countrywas shabby in those days wore an oldfashioned blackchimneypot hat he was wrapped in a yet more oldfashioned cloakblack and ragged and the combination gave him the look of theearly villains in and his yellow beardand hair were more unkempt and leonine than when they appeared longafterwards cut and pointed on the lawns of longlean black cigar bought in for twopence stood out frombetween his tightened teeth and altogether he looked a verysatisfactory specimen of the anarchists upon whom he had vowed aholy war this was why a policeman on the spoketo him and said eveningat a crisis of his morbid fears for humanity seemed stung bythe mere stolidity of the automatic official a mere bulk of bluein the twilight