politics"; Gapon is doing likewise. The movement has spread far beyond
what he expected, and he is being carried away by the prevailing
excitement. With all his benevolent intentions, he is of a nervous,
excitable nature, and his besetting sin is vanity. He perceives that
by resisting the Social Democrats he is losing his hold on the masses.
Early in the week, as we have seen, he began to widen his programme in
the Social Democratic sense, and every day he makes new concessions.
Before the week is finished a Social Democratic orator can write
triumphantly: "In three days we have transformed the Gaponist assemblies
into political meetings!" Like Petroff, Gapon seeks to defend the Tsar,
and he falls into Petroff's strategical mistake of pretending that the
Tsar knows nothing of the sufferings of his people. From that admission
to the resolution that the Tsar must somehow be informed personally and
directly, by some means outside of the regular official channel, there
is but one step, and that step is quickly taken. On Friday morning Gapon
has determined to present with his own hands a petition to his Majesty,
and the petition is already drafted, containing demands which go far
beyond workmen's grievances. After resisting the Social Democratic
agitators so stoutly, he is now going over, bag and baggage, to the
Social Democratic camp.

This wonderful change was consummated on Friday evening at a conference
which he held with some delegates of the Social Democrats. From an
account written by one of these delegates immediately after the meeting
we get an insight into the worthy priest's character and motives. In the
morning he had written to them: "I have 100,000 workmen, and I am going
with them to the Palace to present a petition. If it is not granted,
we shall make a revolution. Do you agree?" They did not like the idea,
because the Social Democratic policy is to extort concessions, not
to ask favours, and to refrain from anything that might increase the
prestige of the Autocratic Power. In their reply, therefore, they
consented simply to discuss the matter. I proceed now to quote from the
delegate's account of what took place at the conference:

"The company consisted of Gapon, with two adherents, and five Social
Democrats. All sat round a table, and the conversation began. Gapon is a
good-looking man, with dark complexion and thoughtful, sympathetic face.
He is evidently very tired, and, like the other orators, he is