proof that their excuse was false.

Chapter V

A DIALOGUE ON PEACE BETWEEN A HOUSEHOLDER AND A BURGLAR

The house was badly wrecked by the struggle which had raged through it.
The walls were marred, the windows and mirrors shattered, the pictures
ruined, the furniture smashed into kindling-wood.

Worst of all, the faithful servants and some of the children were lying
in dark corners, dead or grievously wounded.

The Burglar who had wrought the damage sat in the middle of the dining-
room floor, with his swag around him. It was neatly arranged in bags,
for in spite of his madness he was a most methodical man. One bag was
labelled silverware; another, jewels; another, cash; and another,
souvenirs. There was blood on his hands and a fatuous smile on his face.

"Surely I am a mighty man," he said to himself, "and I have proved it!
But I am very tired, as well as kind-hearted, and I feel that it is now
time to begin a Conversation on Peace."

The Householder, who was also something of a Pacifist on appropriate
occasions, but never a blind one, stood near. Through the brief lull in
the rampage he overheard the mutterings of the Burglar.

"'Were you speaking to me?" he asked. "As a matter of fact," answered
the Burglar, "I was talking to myself. But it is the same thing. Are we
not brothers? Do we not both love Peace? Come sit beside me, and let us
talk about it."

"What do you mean by Peace," said the Householder, looking grimly around
him; "do you mean all this?"

"No, no," said the Burglar; "that is--er--not exactly! 'All this' is
most regrettable. I weep over it. If I could have had my way unopposed
it would never have happened. But until you sit down close beside me I
really cannot tell you in particular what I mean by that blessed word
Peace. In general, I mean something like the status quo ante bel-"

"In this case," interrupted the Householder, "you should say the status
quo ante furtum--not bellum [the state of things before the burglary,
not before the war], You are a mighty robber--not a common thief, but a
most uncommon one. Do you mean to restore the plunder you have grabbed?"

"Yes, certainly," replied the Burglar, in a magnanimous tone; "that is
to say, I mean you shall have a part of it, freely and willingly. I
could keep it all, you know, but I am too noble to do that. You shall
take the silverware and the souvenirs, I will take the jewels and the
cash. Isn't that a fair division? Peace must