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softly。
〃Why； the devil！ They said it was theirs； and of course it was；〃 said
Peter。
〃And the people of the land： did England give you the people also？〃
Peter looked a little doubtfully at the stranger。 〃Yes； of course； she
gave us the people； what use would the land have been to us otherwise？〃
〃And who gave her the people； the living flesh and blood； that she might
give them away； into the hands of others？〃 asked the stranger； raising
himself。
Peter looked at him and was half afeared。 〃Well； what could she do with a
lot of miserable niggers； if she didn't give them to us？ A lot of good…
for…nothing rebels they are； too；〃 said Peter。
〃What is a rebel？〃 asked the stranger。
〃My Gawd！〃 said Peter； 〃you must have lived out of the world if you don't
know what a rebel is！ A rebel is a man who fights against his king and his
country。 These bloody niggers here are rebels because they are fighting
against us。 They don't want the Chartered Company to have them。 But
they'll have to。 We'll teach them a lesson；〃 said Peter Halket； the
pugilistic spirit rising； firmly reseating himself on the South African
earth； which two years before he had never heard of； and eighteen months
before he had never seen； as if it had been his mother earth； and the land
in which he first saw light。
The stranger watched the fire； then he said musingly； 〃I have seen a land
far from here。 In that land are men of two kinds who live side by side。
Well nigh a thousand years ago one conquered the other； they have lived
together since。 Today the one people seeks to drive forth the other who
conquered them。 Are these men rebels； too？〃
〃Well；〃 said Peter； pleased at being deferred to； 〃that all depends who
they are； you know！〃
〃They call the one nation Turks； and the other Armenians；〃 said the
stranger。
〃Oh； the Armenians aren't rebels；〃 said Peter； 〃they are on our side！ The
papers are all full of it；〃 said Peter； pleased to show his knowledge。
〃Those bloody Turks！ What right had they to conquer the Armenians？ Who
gave them their land？ I'd like to have a shot at them myself！〃
〃WHY are Armenians not rebels？〃 asked the stranger； gently。
〃Oh； you do ask such curious questions；〃 said Peter。 〃If they don't like
the Turks； why should they have 'em？〃 If the French came now and conquered
us； and we tried to drive them out first chance we had； you wouldn't call
us rebels！ Why shouldn't they try to turn those bloody Turks out？
Besides；〃 said Peter； bending over and talking in the manner of one who
imparts secret and important information； 〃you see； if we don't help the
Armenians the Russians would； and we；〃 said Peter； looking exceedingly
knowing； 〃we've got to prevent that： they'd get the land； and it's on the
road to India。 And we don't mean them to。 I suppose you don't know much
about politics in Palestine？〃 said Peter； looking kindly and patronisingly
at the stranger。
〃If these men；〃 said the stranger； 〃would rather be free； or be under the
British Government； than under the Chartered Company； why； when they resist
the Chartered Company； are they more rebels than the Armenians when they
resist the Turk？ Is the Chartered Company God； that every knee should bow
before it； and before it every head be bent？ Would you； the white men of
England； submit to its rule for one day？〃
〃Ah；〃 said Peter； 〃no； of course we shouldn't； but we are white men； and so
are the Armeniansalmost〃 Then he glanced at the stranger's dark face；
and added quickly； 〃At least； it's not the colour that matters； you know。
I rather like a dark face； my mother's eyes are brownbut the Armenians；
you know； they've got long hair like us。〃
〃Oh； it is the hair； then； that matters；〃 said the stranger softly。
〃Oh； well；〃 said Peter； 〃it's not altogether； of course。 But it's quite a
different thing； the Armenians wanting to get rid of the Turks； and these
bloody niggers wanting to get rid of the Chartered Company。 Besides； the
Armenians are Christians； like us！〃
〃Are YOU Christians？〃 A strange storm broke across the stranger's
features； he rose to his feet。
〃Why； of course； we are！〃 said Peter。 〃We're all Christians； we English。
Perhaps you don't like Christians； though？ Some Jews don't； I know；〃 said
Peter； looking up soothingly at him。
〃I neither love nor hate any man for that which he is called；〃 said the
stranger； 〃the name boots nothing。〃
The stranger sat down again beside the fire； and folded his hands。
〃Is the Chartered Company Christian also？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； oh yes；〃 said Peter。
〃What is a Christian？〃 asked the stranger。
〃Well； now； you really do ask such curious questions。 A Christian is a man
who believes in Heaven and Hell； and God and the Bible； and in Jesus
Christ； that he'll save him from going to Hell； and if he believes he'll be
saved； he will be saved。〃
〃But here； in this world； what is a Christian？〃
〃Why；〃 said Peter； 〃I'm a Christianwe're all Christians。〃
The stranger looked into the fire； and Peter thought he would change the
subject。 〃It's curious how like my mother you are； I mean； your ways。 She
was always saying to me； 'Don't be too anxious to make money； Peter。 Too
much wealth is as bad as too much poverty。' You're very like her。〃
After a while Peter said； bending over a little towards the stranger； 〃If
you don't want to make money； what did you come to this land for？ No one
comes here for anything else。 Are you in with the Portuguese？〃
〃I am not more with one people than with another；〃 said the stranger。 〃The
Frenchman is not more to me than the Englishman； the Englishman than the
Kaffir； the Kaffir than the Chinaman。 I have heard；〃 said the stranger；
〃the black infant cry as it crept on its mother's body and sought for her
breast as she lay dead in the roadway。 I have heard also the rich man's
child wail in the palace。 I hear all cries。〃
Peter looked intently at him。 〃Why； who are you？〃 he said； then； bending
nearer to the stranger and looking up； he added； 〃What is it that you are
doing here？〃
〃I belong；〃 said the stranger； 〃to the strongest company on earth。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Peter； sitting up； the look of wonder passing from his face。
〃So that's it； is it？ Is it diamonds； or gold； or lands？〃
〃We are the most vast of all companies on the earth；〃 said the stranger；
〃and we are always growing。 We have among us men of every race and from
every land； the Esquimo； the Chinaman； the Turk； and the Englishman； we
have of them all。 We have men of every religion； Buddhists； Mahomedans；
Confucians； Freethinkers； Atheists； Christians； Jews。 It matters to us
nothing by what name the man is named； so he be one of us。〃
And Peter said； 〃It must be hard for you all to understand one another； if
you are of so many different kinds？〃
The stranger answered； 〃There is a sign by which we all know one another；