erhood of man is beginning, and all races and creeds will
henceforth live at peace under the new religion of science.'

David's headache rose again triumphant over the powder. Even a
partisan would be easier to convince than this sort of seer.

'Why, a _pogrom_ is planned for Milovka!'

'Impossible! Europe would not permit it. America would prohibit it.
Did you not see the protest even in the Australian Parliament? Look on
your calendar; we have reached the twentieth century, even according
to the Christian calculation.'

David returned hopelessly to his inn.

Here he saw a burly Jew warming himself at the great stove. Before
even ordering dinner, he made a last desperate attempt to save his
morning.

'Me join a Jewish Self-Defence!' The burly Jew laughed loud and
heartily. 'Why, I'm a True Believer!'

'A _Meshummad_!' David gasped. Modern as he was, the hereditary horror
at the baptized apostate overcame him.

'Yes--_I_'m safe enough,' the Convert laughed. 'I've taken the
cold-water cure. Besides, I'm the censor of Milovka!'

'Eh?' David looked like a trapped animal. The censor smiled on. 'Don't
scowl at me like the other pious zanies. After all, you're an
enlightened young man--a violinist, they tell me; you can't take your
Judaism any more seriously than I take my baptism. Come--have a glass
of vodka.'

'Then, you won't inform?' David breathed.

'Not unless you publish seditious Yiddish. Keep your pistols out of
print. If my own skin is safe, that doesn't mean I'm made of stone
like these Tartar devils. Landlord, the vodka. We'll drink confusion
to them.'

'I--I have none,' stammered the landlord. 'I haven't the right.'

'There are no rights in Russia,' said the censor good-humouredly.

The landlord furtively produced a big bottle.

'But the idea of asking _me_ to join the Self-Defence!' chuckled the
burly Jew. 'You might as well ask me to play the violin!' he added
with a wink.

David felt this was the first really sympathetic hearer he had met
that morning.

VII

The vodka and a good three-course dinner (_Plotki_ for fish,
_Lockschen_ for soup, and _Zrazy_ for joint) brought David new
courage, and again he sallied out to recruit.

This time he sought the market-place--a badly-paved square, bordered
with small houses and congested with stalls and a grey, kaftaned
crowd, amid which gleamed the blue blouses of the ungodly younger
generation. He had hitherto addressed himself to the classes-