IV.
ONE may listen with compassion to the nonsensical babble of a weak, unarmed, old madman in his peaked cap and his gown and may refrain from contradicting him, and even in jest humour him; but when there is a whole multitude of sturdy madmen who have broken out of their confinement, and these madmen are slung from head to foot with sharp daggers, swords, and loaded revolvers, and are excitedly brandishing these deadly weapons, far from being able to humour them, one cannot even remain for one minute indifferent. It is the same with that state of excitement aroused by the French celebrations in which French and Russian society is now plunged. The people who in this case have been attacked by the epidemic of insanity are in possession of the most terrible weapons of murder and mutilation.
It is true that in all the speeches, in all the toasts uttered during these celebrations, in all the articles concerning these celebrations, it is invariably stated that the significance of all that has taken place lies in its guaranteeing the peace of the world. Even the advocates
22
