the man who was thursday-第6节

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s　mind　the　impression　that　the　anarchist　brotherhood　was　a　very　mild　affair　after　all。　He　believed　in　his　own　literary　power；　his　capacity　for　suggesting　fine　shades　and　picking　perfect　words。　He　thought　that　with　care　he　could　succeed；　in　spite　of　all　the　people　around　him；　in　conveying　an　impression　of　the　institution；　subtly　and　delicately　false。　Syme　had　once　thought　that　anarchists；　under　all　their　bravado；　were　only　playing　the　fool。　Could　he　not　now；　in　the　hour　of　peril；　make　Syme　think　so　again？

〃Comrades；〃　began　Gregory；　in　a　low　but　penetrating　voice；　〃it　is　not　necessary　for　me　to　tell　you　what　is　my　policy；　for　it　is　your　policy　also。　Our　belief　has　been　slandered；　it　has　been　disfigured；　it　has　been　utterly　confused　and　concealed；　but　it　has　never　been　altered。　Those　who　talk　about　anarchism　and　its　dangers　go　everywhere　and　anywhere　to　get　their　information；　except　to　us；　except　to　the　fountain　head。　They　learn　about　anarchists　from　sixpenny　novels；　they　learn　about　anarchists　from　tradesmen's　newspapers；　they　learn　about　anarchists　from　Ally　Sloper's　Half…Holiday　and　the　Sporting　Times。　They　never　learn　about　anarchists　from　anarchists。　We　have　no　chance　of　denying　the　mountainous　slanders　which　are　heaped　upon　our　heads　from　one　end　of　Europe　to　another。　The　man　who　has　always　heard　that　we　are　walking　plagues　has　never　heard　our　reply。　I　know　that　he　will　not　hear　it　tonight；　though　my　passion　were　to　rend　the　roof。　For　it　is　deep；　deep　under　the　earth　that　the　persecuted　are　permitted　to　assemble；　as　the　Christians　assembled　in　the　Catacombs。　But　if；　by　some　incredible　accident；　there　were　here　tonight　a　man　who　all　his　life　had　thus　immensely　misunderstood　us；　I　would　put　this　question　to　him：　'When　those　Christians　met　in　those　Catacombs；　what　sort　of　moral　reputation　had　they　in　the　streets　above？　What　tales　were　told　of　their　atrocities　by　one　educated　Roman　to　another？　Suppose'　（I　would　say　to　him）；　'suppose　that　we　are　only　repeating　that　still　mysterious　paradox　of　history。　Suppose　we　seem　as　shocking　as　the　Christians　because　we　are　really　as　harmless　as　the　Christians。　Suppose　we　seem　as　mad　as　the　Christians　because　we　are　really　as　meek。〃'

The　applause　that　had　greeted　the　opening　sentences　had　been　gradually　growing　fainter；　and　at　the　last　word　it　stopped　suddenly。　In　the　abrupt　silence；　the　man　with　the　velvet　jacket　said；　in　a　high；　squeaky　voice

〃I'm　not　meek！〃

〃Comrade　Witherspoon　tells　us；〃　resumed　Gregory；　〃that　he　is　not　meek。　Ah；　how　little　he　knows　himself！　His　words　are；　indeed；　extravagant；　his　appearance　is　ferocious；　and　even　（to　an　ordinary　taste）　unattractive。　But　only　the　eye　of　a　friendship　as　deep　and　delicate　as　mine　can　perceive　the　deep　foundation　of　solid　meekness　which　lies　at　the　base　of　him；　too　deep　even　for　himself　to　see。　I　repeat；　we　are　the　true　early　Christians；　only　that　we　come　too　late。　We　are　simple；　as　they　revere　simplelook　at　Comrade　Witherspoon。　We　are　modest；　as　they　were　modestlook　at　me。　We　are　merciful〃

〃No；　no！〃　called　out　Mr。　Witherspoon　with　the　velvet　jacket。

〃I　say　we　are　merciful；〃　repeated　Gregory　furiously；　〃as　the　early　Christians　were　merciful。　Yet　this　did　not　prevent　their　being　accused　of　eating　human　flesh。　We　do　not　eat　human　flesh〃

〃Shame！〃　cried　Witherspoon。　〃Why　not？〃

〃Comrade　Witherspoon；〃　said　Gregory；　with　a　feverish　gaiety；　〃is　anxious　to　know　why　nobody　eats　him　（laughter）。　In　our　society；　at　any　rate；　which　loves　him　sincerely；　which　is　founded　upon　love〃

〃No；　no！〃　said　Witherspoon；　〃down　with　love。〃

〃Which　is　founded　upon　love；〃　repeated　Gregory；　grinding　his　teeth；　〃there　will　be　no　difficulty　about　the　aims　which　we　shall　pursue　as　a　body；　or　which　I　should　pursue　were　I　chosen　as　the　representative　of　that　body。　Superbly　careless　of　the　slanders　that　represent　us　as　assassins　and　enemies　of　human　society；　we　shall　pursue　with　moral　courage　and　quiet　intellectual　pressure；　the　permanent　ideals　of　brotherhood　and　simplicity。〃

Gregory　resumed　his　seat　and　passed　his　hand　across　his　forehead。　The　silence　was　sudden　and　awkward；　but　the　chairman　rose　like　an　automaton；　and　said　in　a　colourless　voice

〃Does　anyone　oppose　the　election　of　Comrade　Gregory？〃

The　assembly　seemed　vague　and　sub…consciously　disappointed；　and　Comrade　Witherspoon　moved　restlessly　on　his　seat　and　muttered　in　his　thick　beard。　By　the　sheer　rush　of　routine；　however；　the　motion　would　have　been　put　and　carried。　But　as　the　chairman　was　opening　his　mouth　to　put　it；　Syme　sprang　to　his　feet　and　said　in　a　small　and　quiet　voice

〃Yes；　Mr。　Chairman；　I　oppose。〃

The　most　effective　fact　in　oratory　is　an　unexpected　change　in　the　voice。　Mr。　Gabriel　Syme　evidently　understood　oratory。　Having　said　these　first　formal　words　in　a　moderated　tone　and　with　a　brief　simplicity；　he　made　his　next　word　ring　and　volley　in　the　vault　as　if　one　of　the　guns　had　gone　off。

〃Comrades！〃　he　cried；　in　a　voice　that　made　every　man　jump　out　of　his　boots；　〃have　we　come　here　for　this？　Do　we　live　underground　like　rats　in　order　to　listen　to　talk　like　this？　This　is　talk　we　might　listen　to　while　eating　buns　at　a　Sunday　School　treat。　Do　we　line　these　walls　with　weapons　and　bar　that　door　with　death　lest　anyone　should　come　and　hear　Comrade　Gregory　saying　to　us；　'Be　good；　and　you　will　be　happy；'　'Honesty　is　the　best　policy；'　and　'Virtue　is　its　own　reward'？　There　was　not　a　word　in　Comrade　Gregory's　address　to　which　a　curate　could　not　have　listened　with　pleasure　（hear；　hear）。　But　I　am　not　a　curate　（loud　cheers）；　and　I　did　not　listen　to　it　with　pleasure　（renewed　cheers）。　The　man　who　is　fitted　to　make　a　good　curate　is　not　fitted　to　make　a　resolute；　forcible；　and　efficient　Thursday　（hear；　hear）。〃

〃Comrade　Gregory　has　told　us；　in　only　too　apologetic　a　tone；　that　we　are　not　the　enemies　of　society。　But　I　say　that　we　are　the　enemies　of　society；　and　so　much　the　worse　for　society。　We　are　the　enemies　of　society；　for　society　is　the　enemy　of　humanity；　its　oldest　and　its　most　pitiless　enemy　（hear；　hear）。　Comrade　Gregory　has　told　us　（apologetically　again）　that　we　are　not　murderers。　There　I　agree。　We　are　not　murderers；　we　are　executioners　（cheers）。〃

Ever　since　Syme　had　risen　Gregory　had　sat　staring　at　him；　his　face　idiotic　with　astonishment。　Now　in　the　pause　his　lips　of　clay　parted；　and　he　said；　with　an　automatic　and　lifeless　distinctness

〃You　damnable　hypocrite！〃

Syme　looked　straight　into　those　frightful　eyes　with　his　own　pale　blue　ones；　and　said　with　dignity

〃Comrade　Gregory　accuses　me　of　hypocrisy。　He　knows　as　well　as　I　do　that　I　am　keeping　all　my　engagements　and　doing　nothing　but　my　duty。　I　do　not　mince　words。　I　do　not　pretend　to。　I　say　that　Comrade　Gregory　is　unfit　to　be　Thursday　for　all　his　amiable　qualities。　He　is　unfit　to　be　Thursday　because　of　his　amiable　qualities。　We　do　not　want　the　Supreme　Council　of　Anarchy　infected　with　a　maudlin　mercy　（hear；　hear）。　This　is　no　time　for　ceremonial　politeness；　neither　is　it　a　time　for　ceremonial　modesty。　I　set　myself　against　Comrade　Gregory　as　I　would　set　myself　against　all　the　Governments　of　Europe；　because　the　anarchist　who　has　given　himself　to　anarchy　has　forgotten　modesty　as　much　as　he　has　forgotten　pride　（cheers）。　I　am　not　a　man　at　all。　I　am　a　cause　（renewed　cheers）。　I　set　myself　against　Comrade　Gregory　as　impersonally　and　as　calmly　as　I　should　choose　one　pistol　rather　than　another　out　of　that　rack　upon　the　wall；　and　I　say　that　rather　than　have　Gregory　and　his　milk…and…water　methods　on　the　Supreme　Council；　I　would　offer　myself　for　election〃

His　sentence　was　drowned　in　a　deafening　cataract　of　applause。　The　faces；　that　had　grown　fiercer　and　fiercer　with　approval　as　his　tirade　grew　more　and　more　uncompromising；　were　now　distorted　with　grins　of　anticipation　or　cloven　with　delighted　cries。　At　the　moment　when　he　announced　himself　as　ready　to　stand　for　the　post　of　Thursday；　a　roar　of　excitement　and　assent　broke　forth；　and　became　uncontrollable；　and　at　the　same　moment　Gregory　sprang　to　his　feet；　with　foam　upon　his　mouth；　and　shouted　against　the　shouting。

〃Stop；　you　blasted　madmen！〃　he　cried；　at　the　top　of　a　voice　that　tore　his　throat。　〃Stop；　you〃

But　louder　than　Gregory's　shouting　and　louder　than　the　roar　of　the　room　came　the　voice　of　Syme；　still　speaking　in　a　peal　of　pitiless　thunder

〃I　do　not　go　to　the　Council　to　rebut　that　slander　that　calls　us　murderers；　I　go　to　earn　it　（loud　and　prolonged　cheering）。　To　the　priest　who　says　these　men　are　the　enemies　of　religion；　to　the　judge　who　says　these　men　are　the　enemies　of　law；　to　the　fat　parliamentarian　who　says　these　men　are　the　enemies　of　order　and　public　decency；　to　all　these　I　will　reply；　'You　are　false　kings；　but　you　are　true　prophets。　I　am　come　to　destroy　you；　and　to　fulfil　your　prophecies。'〃

The　heavy　clamour　gradually　died　away；　but　before　it　had　ceased　Witherspoon　had　jumped　to　his　feet；　his　hair　and　beard　all　on　end；　and　had　said

〃I　move；　as　an　amendment；　that　Comrade　Syme　be　appointed　to　the　post。〃

〃Stop　all　this；　I　tell　you！〃　cried　Gregory；　with　frantic　face　and　hands。　〃Stop　it；　it　is　all〃

The　voice　of　the　chairman　clove　his　speech　with　a　cold　accent。

〃Does　anyone　second　this　amendment？〃　he　said。　A　tall；　tired　man；　with　melancholy　eyes　and　an　American　chin　b