Part 4 (2/2)

Alexieff said nothing in reply, but the sailors lounging in the bar began to finish off their drinks and saunter out one by one, till in a short time the place was empty.

”Well?” said the tavern-keeper, as soon as we were alone.

It was not my first visit to the Angel Gabriel, and I lost no time in convincing Alexieff of my ident.i.ty. As soon as he recognized me, I said:--

”You know the Princess Y----?”

The expression of rage and fear which convulsed his features was a sufficient answer.

”You know, moreover, that she is at present working her hardest to bring about a war between Russia and j.a.pan, with the hope of ultimately involving Great Britain?”

He nodded sullenly.

”How does that affect your friends?” I asked cautiously. Something in the man's face warned me not to show my own hand just then.

”We hate her, of course,” he said grudgingly, ”but just now we have received orders that she is not to be interfered with.”

I drew a deep breath.

”Then you regard this war----?”

”We regard it as the beginning of the revolution,” he answered. ”We know that the Empire is utterly unprepared. The Viceroy Alexieff is a vain boaster. Port Arthur is not provisioned. The Navy is rotten. The Army cannot be recruited except by force. The taxes are already excessive and cannot be increased. In short, we look forward to see the autocracy humiliated. The moment its prestige is gone, and the moujik feels the pinch of famine, our chance will come.”

I saw that I had come to the wrong quarter for a.s.sistance.

”Then you will do nothing against this woman at present?” I remarked, anxious to leave the impression that she was the only object of my concern.

”No. At least not until war is definitely declared. After that I cannot say.”

”And you think the war sure to come?”

”We are certain of it. One of our most trusted members is on the board of the Manchurian Syndicate.”

”The Syndicate which has obtained the concessions in Korea?”

”Against which j.a.pan has protested, yes.”

I felt the full force of this announcement, having watched the proceedings of the Syndicate for some months for reasons of my own.

Every student of modern history has remarked the fact that all recent wars have been promoted by great combinations of capitalists. The causes which formerly led to war between nation and nation have ceased to operate. Causes, or at least pretexts, for war continue to occur, but whether they are followed up depends mainly on commercial considerations. A distant Government is oppressing its subjects, it may be in Turkey, it may be in Cuba, it may be in Africa. No matter, some great Power suddenly discovers it is interested; the drums are beaten, the flag is unfurled, and armies are launched on their path.

The next year, perhaps, the same Power sees its own subjects ma.s.sacred wantonly off its own coasts by a foreign fleet. Nothing happens; a few speeches are made, and the whole incident is referred to arbitration, and forgotten.

It is the consideration of money which decides between peace and war.

Perceiving it was useless to ask any a.s.sistance of the Nihilists in my forlorn enterprise, I returned sadly to my hotel.

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