Evening star., 1909-03-06

and trembling old woman, suffering
from rheumatism. scurvy and agora-
phobia. the fear of open spaces" Ii
is stated that Plehve refused to re
lease her two years earlier as "a danger
to the state, there being still too much
life in her"
How much life remains in her may be
judged by her present active existence
between Paris, London and Geneva. her
extraordinary charm in winning recruits
for the section Of combat her mastery
use of the revolutionary fund In organ
izing escape from Siberia and the sport
ing way she has let loose terrible bands
to do justice on AZeff.
One day the news is from Marseille:
The police of this city are informed
of the arrival OF eight Russian revolu-
tionists seeking Azeff Their hotel is
but it is believed they are about to
separate, securing the Riviera. Egypt.
Algiers and Constantinople for their in
tended prey"
The next day news comes from ST.
Petersburg: The revolutionist search for
Azen under Russian government protec-
tion extends even to the prisons-which
VIII not turn out an eficacious shelter
for him. they add grimly.''
Yet the very tribunal Of terror that has
condemned the renegade can easily prove
itself not to have been q tribunal.
accused Azeff before a general meeting
of Russian revolutionary socialists in
London. Azeff. actually present, an
swered him SO satisfactorily that tho
sympathy of most was with him: and all
that Bourtzev could obtain was the banal
appointment Of three delegates ito inves-
tigate the charges" These delegates hap
pened to be Prince Kropotkine Hermann
Lopatine and Vera Figner.
We a tribunal OF terror" they can
reply to the French police. I'VE set up an
occult law In France. pronouncing death
sentences? What a story. A socialist
congress simply delegated US to investi-
gate the eligibility of certain members.
Ihat was our only task. 1t Is finiehed."
A more peaceful. ordinary, gentle, ten
der-hearted quartet than Bourtzev. Kro-
potkine. Lopatine and Vera Figner
could not be found. genial and cultured.
listening to music in the twilight over
hot punch made with tea instead Of water
Aud Vera could explain:
There are always ineligibles in any
society-witness the unhappy Degayef.
whose stories had me put away for long
and bitter years. Degayef was q devoted
and tried companion. a sincere revolution
ISL. III 1856, however, ne Ieli INTO tne
hands Of the police. Threatened with
death. he consented to spy for them-and
became an angel provocateur.
Numerous were the attacks he Or
ganized and numerous the victims he
handed over to the police. Finally sus-
pected. he actually combined with Starod-
vorsky to assassinate Gen. Sudyekin: and
no one has ever known what became OF
him etter!''
And Zoubatoff, the dreamy editor Of
"Bylok.' might speak up: After 1905.
when the workingmen began to be con-
scious of their rights. Zoubatof persuaded
the high police to let him push strikes
for the sake Of anesting the leaders.
Truly, he gave up many leaders. but he
could not give up all or half. Until. In
1903. his strikes at Odessa and other
points so developed into a spontaneous
movement over all south Russia that the
government sent Zoubatof to Siberia as
a renegade to itself! I think he has since
escaped. Now what was Zoubatoff at
heart? Or shall we Judge him by the
final results? Men are enigmas. But the
work goes on
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.