"For you, sir!" said the young man, taking a letter from a pocket inside

his waistcoat.

David Rossi opened the letter and read: "The bearer of this, Charles

Minghelli, is one of ourselves. He has determined upon the

accomplishment of a great act, and wishes to see you with respect to

it."

"You come from London?"

"Yes, sir."

"You wish to speak to me?"

"I do."

"You may speak freely."

The young man glanced in the direction of Bruno and of Bruno's wife, who

stood beside him.

"It is a delicate matter, sir," he said.

"Come this way," said David Rossi, and he took the stranger into his

bedroom.

IV

David Rossi took his seat at the desk between the windows, and made a

sign to the man to take a chair that stood near.

"Your name is Charles Minghelli?" said David Rossi.

"Yes. I have come to propose a dangerous enterprise."

"What is it?"

"That somebody on behalf of the people should take the law into his own

hands."

The man had spoken with perfect calmness, and after a moment of silence

David Rossi replied as calmly: "I will ask you to explain what you mean."

The man smiled, made a deferential gesture, and answered, "You will

permit me to speak plainly?"

"Certainly."

"Thanks! I have read your Creed and Charter. I have even signed my name

to it. It is beautiful as a theory--most beautiful! And the Republic of

Man is beautiful too. Beautiful!"

"Well?"

"But more beautiful than practical, dear sir, and the ideal thread that

runs through your plan will break the moment the rough world begins to

tug at it."

"I will ask you to be more precise," said David Rossi.

"With pleasure. You have called a meeting in the Coliseum to protest

against the bread-tax. What if the Government prohibits it? Your

principle of passive resistance will not permit you to rebel, and

without the right of public meeting your association is powerless. Then

where are you?"

David Rossi had taken up his paper-knife dagger and was drawing lines

with the point of it on the letter of introduction which now lay open on

the desk. The man saw the impression he had produced, and went on with

more vigour.

"If the Governments of the world deny you the right of meeting, where

are your weapons of warfare? On the one side armies on armies of men

marshalled and equipped with all the arts and engines of war; on the

other side a helpless multitude with their hands in their pockets, or

paying a penny a week subscription to the great association that is to

overcome by passive suffering the power of the combined treasuries of

the world!"




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