The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-02-27
CHAPTER XII.
Pledged to the Cause.

He was skeptic, as are so
many in Russia; he had cast to-
the winds every prejudice of soci-
ETY.; he had satisfied his every
caprice, his every passion; his
father adored him, and ruined
him; and when, at rs years of
age, he married Nadege. he was
a thoroughly blase man.
When Wanda sent up her card
he was stretched out upon an i'm
mense bears skin that he had
thrown upon the floor. The beast
itself had been killed by the count
in the forests of Finland. He was
reading, and seemed completely
absorbed In his book.
When he read Wanda's name
on the card he shuddered, first
flushing deeply and then growing
deadly pale.
DO l disturb your" Wanda
asked.
ooh, no, no." he replied, weak
ly.
They said no more; their voices
failed them; they could hardly see
one another.
Wanda was the first to recover
her self-possession.
"You were reading?"
Eyes, a book of which 1 am
lpassionately fond" answered Lit
zanoff.
"You are always passionately
fond of something"
81 am crazy about something;
but excuse me, sit down"
He pushed a chair towards her.
but he himself dared not approach
her.
Wanda sat down. He took a
seat far away from her, upon a
Turkish divan.
"Will you allow me to ask you
what you are reading with such
enthusiasm"
Sometime ago one of my
brought it to me and recommend
ed me to read it. I never thought
about it until this morning, when
accidentally l came across it.
have read 1t, scarcely stopping to
take breath. l am already on the
second volume; and upon my
word I am almost a socialist; at
least that would give me some
thing to do"
you, a socialist"
Eyes, one scamp the more In
the society"
"How slightingly you speak of
those poor fellows?"
81 only speak of them as every
body else does. But what delights
me in this book is its analysis of
men and of society; it's criticisms
upon the civilization of which we
are so proud, and which, in fact
is nothing but filthy sewer"
Bravo! Is that really your
lopinion?"
at is, indeed! Yesterday I was
ashamed of myself. Nadege has
told you everything, hasn't she?"
Eyes"
"Well, do not Judge me too Sc
verely. / have been terribly mis-
understood; but this book shows
me that the fact Of there being
so many misunderstood natures is
due to the utterly disorganized
and stupid state of society. 1t
makes me blush to be a Russian!
Everywhere thieving, cheating, in
Justice, lying-the whole social
system must be rebuilt from its
very foundations"
Wanda gazed at him in admira-
ton.
"That is what 1 think" she
said.
why" said Litzanoff, "are you
a nihilist?"
Eyes, dear friend, / am"
Are you an associate of any
secret society?"
There is none; but I am in
the very thick of the conspiracy.
"Is there a conspiracy" ex-
claimed Stephane, land / not in
It? Wanda, will you enroll me,
and take me as the most ardent of
your disciples, the most fearless
of your apostles? Tell me, will
your"
"And, IL 1t is necessary. will you
run the risk of being exiled?"
Everything, evrything! A new
existence opens before me. My
empty, weary life will have some
aim. All! If you did but know
what a real service you are doing
met"
"And I hope I avn doing some
thing for Nadege, too. Promise
rue, won't you, to love her as she
deserves to be loved"
Eyes, as a tender, charming
child"
"She loves you so dearly, and
you are not good to her."
wanda, Petrowna, tell me
what the nihilists think about love
and marriage.
Does not your book teach you
that?"
my book says: Every true
feeling is lawful, but every union
not based upon perfect sincerity
is degrading
well, II you did not love her,
why did you marry heri''