The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-02-05
CHAPTER VII.
For the Sake of the Car.

When one is sentenced to Death by
the Nfhilists IN Russia sends cold
shiver down the back, no matter how
brave and self-reIiant he may be, for
these fanatics have an uncomfortable
way of carrying out such DEGREES to
the bitter end.
However, I smiled and assured the
princess that I thought / could ind out
a way to avoid the consequences of my
eavesdropping, and then awaited the
moment when she should say more
For a long time l studied her care
fully, for she was the most complex
puzzle that / had ever encountered III
the shape of a woman.
/ had heard enough to know that she
was not only a conspirator against the
life of the Emperor, but that she was.
ostensibly, if not really. the leader
among her fellow conspiraters; or, if
not the leader. then leader
] had heard her talk glibly of assassf-
nation and death. and I had heard her
1epiore. in mental anguish, the part that
she was forced to play in the game OF
Russian politics. In one moment 1 had
believed her to be a heartless schemer,
a rnurderess. and devoid of compassion,
and in the next l was forced to the con-
lecture that she was victim of cir
cumstances. and that she had no love
for or sympathy with the cause she
advocated.
Now. as ] watched her. the same emo
tons succeeded each other in my judg-
ment of her character. and finally I
summed them all up in the decision that
| she was a being who was swayed by
| ipulses.
| There is a seeming paradox which will
! 1aJS
concerning the princess. She was de-
| llberateIy impulsive, calculatingly reck-
| less. Systematically chaotic. The warm
| southern blood in her veins impelled her
| to deeds which were rendered thrice eff
| fective by reason of the fact that she
applied to them the calculating GOODNESS
and method of her Russian ancestors
Hence the paradox.
| Presently she raised her eyes to mine
Mr.. Dubravnik." she said slowly
| there is one way of escape for you anc
only one
What is that?'' I asked.
you must become a Nihilist''
Il had thought of that" 1 returned
coolly.
You had thought of it, she cried
DO you say that earnestly gr only Il
| lead me on?''
Was it not this very point that 20,
were discussing with your brother whel
you entered the garden last night, prin
cess?"
Yes; l had said to him that you wer
the kind of man who should be added t.
our ranks, think you must have hear,
his repIy?"
Yes"
DO you know what Nihilism Is. NJ
Dubravnik?f
NO. I have always regar ed It as
dangerous organization; morally danger
Gus, / mean. You must not think that
have thought of joining it for any othe
reason than to place myself in a posi-
ton where / will feel that it is my dut
to respect the confidence that l stol
from you, rather than to betray it,
Then you never had such though
until you knew / was Nihilist@'
Never.
And you would join us for my sake?
! No"
For whose sake, them
For the sake Of the Gar"
All You would join only to betra
them into the hands of the police. Tha
, is what you mean
NO. If / should become a Nihiist
| would be to protect the Emperor, TIC
/ y
She was silent for a moment. The
she raised her eyes and fixed them upo
mine, and / noticed that they glove
= with that enthusiastic fire which no al
/ guInent can overcome. In that instant
realized that she was NihiIEt at heal
and that nothing could ever change he
believed then-and now know the
, / was correct-that nothing could swery
her from her purpose, and that the ir
tcrmitten; spasns OF remorse that cam
to her were only GASES in the desert
a perverted judgment.
t DO you think" she SAID. that u
have no wrongs to right?'
t Il think YOU have many, judging fro
your standpoint. but you cannot rigl
a | them by committing greater ones. Mott
d ing can dignity or snao5le deliberate a
: sassination. or wanton, cruel, seer
murder The Nihilists are assassin
: murderers, cutthroats