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innocents could have done。 At the end of a month of mad Satanism；
I saw what her game was。 Do you know what she intended？ She meant
to make me Bakounine's prompter； or； at any rate； that is what
she said。 But no doubt she reserved the right to herselfat
least that is how I understood herto prompt the prompter； and
my passion for her； which she purposely left unsatisfied； assured
her that absolute power over me。
〃All this may appear madness to you； but it is； nevertheless； the
exact truth。 In short； one morning she bluntly made the offer：
〃 'Become Bakounine's soul； and you shall possess me。'
〃Of course I accepted； for it was too fantastically strange to
refuse。 Don't you think so？ What an adventure！ What luck！ A
number of letters between the Countess and Bakounine prepared the
way； I was introduced to him at his house； and they discussed me
there。 I became a sort of Western prophet； a mystic charmer who
was ready to nihilize the Latin races； the Saint Paul of the new
religion of nothingness； and at last a day was fixed for us to
meet in London。 He lived in a small； one…storied house in
Pimlico； with a tiny garden in front； and nothing noticeable
about it。
〃We were first of all shown into the commonplace parlor of all
English homes； and then upstairs。 The room where the Countess and
I were left was small； and very badly furnished。 It had a square
table with writing materials on it； in the center of the room。
This was his sanctuary。 The deity soon appeared； and I saw him in
flesh and boneespecially in flesh； for he was enormously stout。
His broad face； with prominent cheek…bones； in spite of fat； a
nose like a double funnel； and small； sharp eyes； which had a
magnetic lock； proclaimed the Tartar； the old Turanian blood
which produced the Attilas； the Genghis…Khans； the Tamerlanes。
The obesity which is characteristic of nomad races； who are
always on horseback or driving； added to his Asiatic look。 The
man was certainly not a European； a slave； a descendant of the
deistic Aryans； but a scion of the atheistic hordes who had
several times already almost overrun Europe； and who； instead of
ideas of progress； have Nihilism buried in their hearts。
〃I was astonished； for I had not expected that the majesty of a
whole race could be thus revived in a man； and my stupefaction
increased after an hour's conversation。 I could quite understand
why such a Colossus had not wished for the Countess as his
Egeria； she was a silly child to have dreamed of acting such a
part to such a thinker。 She had not felt the profoundness of that
horrible； philosophy which was hidden under his material
activity； nor had she seen the prophet under this hero of the
barricades。 Perhaps he had not thought it advisable to reveal
himself to her； but he revealed himself to me； and inspired me
with terror。
〃A prophet？ Oh！ yes。 He thought himself an Attila； and foresaw
the consequences of his revolution； it was not only from instinct
but also from theory that he urged a nation on to Nihilism。 The
phrase is not his； but Turgenieff's； I believe； but the idea
certainly belonged to him。 He got his programme of agricultural
communism from Herzen； and his destructive radicalism from
Pougatcheff； but he did not stop there。 I mean that he went on to
evil for the sake of evil。 Herzen wished for the happiness of the
Slav peasant； Pougatcheff wanted to be elected Emperor； but all
that Bakounine wanted was to overthrow the actual order of
things； no matter by what means； and to replace social
concentration by a universal upheaval。
〃It was the dream of a Tartar； it was true Nihilism pushed to
extreme and practical conclusions。 It was； in a word； the applied
philosophy of chance； the indeterminate end of anarchy。 Monstrous
it may be； but grand in its monstrosity！
〃And you must note that the typical man of action so despised by
the Countess was； in Bakounine； the gigantic dreamer whom I have
just shown to you。 His dream did not remain a dream； but began to
be realized。 It was by the care of Bakounine that the Nihilistic
party became an entity； a party in which there is a little of
everything； you know； but on the whole； a formidable party； the
advanced guard of which is true Nihilism； whose object is nothing
less than to destroy the Western world； to see it blossom from
under the ruins of a general dispersion； the last conception of
modern Tartarism。
〃I never saw Bakounine again； for the Countess's conquest would
have been too dearly bought by any attempt to act a comedy with
this 'Old…Man…of…the…Mountain。' And besides that； after this
visit； poor Countess Satan appeared to me quite silly。 Her famous
Satanism was nothing but the flicker of a spirit…lamp； after the
general conflagration of which the other had dreamed。 She had
certainly shown herself very silly； when she could not understand
that prodigious monster。 And as she had seduced me only by her
intellect and her perversity； I was disgusted as soon as she laid
aside that mask。 I left her without telling her of my intention；
and never saw her again； either。
〃No doubt they both took me for a spy from the 'Third Section of
the Imperial Chancellery。' In that case； they must have thought
me very clever to have escaped discovery； and all I have to do is
to look out； lest any affiliated members of their society
recognize me！〃
Then he smiled and； turning to the waiter who had just come in；
said： 〃Open another bottle of champagne； and make the cork pop！
It will； at any rate； remind us of the day when we ourselves
shall be blown up with dynamite。〃
THE COLONEL'S IDEAS
〃upon my word；〃 said Colonel Laporte； 〃I am old and gouty； my
legs are as stiff as two sticks； and yet if a pretty woman were
to tell me to go through the eye of a needle； I believe I should
take a jump at it； like a clown through a hoop。 I shall die like
that； it is in the blood。 I am an old beau； one of the old
regime； and the sight of a woman； a pretty woman； stirs me to the
tips of my toes。 There！
〃And then we are all very much alike in France； we remain
cavaliers； cavaliers of love and fortune； since God has been
abolished； whose bodyguard we really were。 But nobody will ever
get the woman out of our hearts； there she is； and there she will
remain； we love her； and shall continue to love her； and to
commit all kinds of frolics on her account； so long as there is a
France on the map of Europe。 And even if France were to be wiped
off the map； there would always be Frenchmen left。
〃When I am in the presence of a woman； of a pretty woman； I feel
capable of anything。 By Jove； when I feel her looks penetrating
me； those confounded looks which set your blood on fire； I could
do anything： fight a duel； have a row； smash the furniture；
anything just to show that I am the strongest； the bravest； the
most daring； and the most devoted of men。
〃But I am not the only onecertainly not； the whole French army
is like me； that I will swear to。 From the common soldier to the
general； we all go forward； and to the very end； mark you； when
there is a woman in the case； a pretty woman。 Remember what Joan
of Arc made us do formerly！ Come； I'd ma