place the
inference of personal animosity almost in the region of certitude; one
is therefore tempted to accept the explanation offered by the victim,
that the Marseilles scandal turns upon a mistaken identity, and his
explicit denial that he ever underwent the rite of Jewish initiation.
Furthermore, I believe that I shall represent the opinion of tolerant
Englishmen when I say that to insult and abuse a man for adopting
another faith, however opposed to our own, and even ridiculous in
itself, is an odious method in controversy, and for myself I see little
to choose between a proselyte of the gate, a renegade Mason, and a
demitted Roman Catholic.

The true secret of the Margiotta-cum-Lemmi embroilment does not, I
think, transpire in the narratives with which we are concerned; I mean
to say that there is an eluding element which must, however, be assumed,
if we are to account reasonably for the display of such extreme rancour.
An honourable man may object to the jurisdiction of a person whom he
regards as a convicted thief, but he does not usually pursue him with
the violence of personal hatred. Now, in 1888 Signor Margiotta became a
candidate for the Italian Parliament, and he attributes his failure to
the hostility of Lemmi, who, prompted by Gallophobe tendencies, brought
his influence to bear against a person who was friendly to the French
nation. I submit that this assists us to understand the animus of the
converted Mason and the lengths to which it has taken him. In all other
respects Signor Margiotta displays the most perfect frankness, and does
his best upon every occasion to substantiate his statements by
formidable documentary evidence. I repeat therefore, that, much as we
may regret his acrimony, he remains a most important witness to the
existence of Universal Masonry, the existence of the Reformed Palladium,
the transfer of the Masonic Supremacy at the death of Albert Pike to the
Italian Grand Master, and the split in the camp which followed. He
claims also that he is personally acquainted with Miss Diana Vaughan; he
extols her innumerable virtues in pages of eloquent writing; he even
goes so far as to photograph the envelope of a registered letter which
he posted at Palmi, in Calabria, addressed to that lady in London. He
indirectly substantiates the narrative of Carbuccia by a long account of
his personal dealings with Giambattista Pessina, descending into the
most curious particulars; he publishes the sec