d; but he certainly did not expect it to
revolutionise his thoughts.

At first he read with only half his mind. He had been greatly excited
by the meeting he had attended, and for the first few minutes
constantly found himself thinking rather of the speeches than of the
book.

Presently, however, a sentence gripped him, and then he forgot
everything else. He realised that he was reading, not simply the
opinions and sentiments of a single individual, but of the ruling caste
of the German Empire. As he read, he rubbed his eyes. He could not
believe that he saw aright. He had expected windy vapourings, instead
he found cold, reasoned statements--a kind of Machiavellian philosophy.

Hour after hour he read, regardless of time, his mind absorbing the
author's arguments as a sponge sucks up water.

An hour after midnight he rose from his chair and flung the book from
him as though it were something unclean.

CHAPTER XII

It is not my purpose to analyse the book which moved Bob so profoundly,
and I am only referring to it because of its effect on his thoughts.
It must be remembered that he had been reared to regard war as
something born in hell, something which meant, in the words of the
Prime Minister of England, "Hell let loose." He had never heard any
one speak of it as something to be desired. At best it was only a
"ghastly necessity," something which should not be resorted to until
"all the resources of civilisation were exhausted."

Here, however, he found war not only gloried in, but set forth as a
necessity to the well-being of nations. War was not only a necessity,
it was a virtuous thing, it was the will of God, it was taught by
Christ.

A score of sentences burnt like flames of fire before his eyes.
Sentences, not written in the heat of passion, but in cold, measured
terms. And they were accepted as the Gospel of Germany.

"_Without war,_" said the writer, "_inferior and decaying nations would
easily choke the growth of healthy and budding elements, and universal
decadence would follow. . . ._

"_It is not the possessor, but the victor who has the right. . . ._

"_Might is at once the supreme right_, AND THE DISPUTE AS TO WHAT IS
RIGHT IS SETTLED BY THE ARBITRAMENT OF WAR. . . .

"_Reflection shows that not only is war an unqualified necessity, but
that it is justifiable from every point of view. . . ._

"_If we sum up our arguments, we shall see that from the most opposite
aspects th