And if you go back to Russia I know that
I shall not see you again. Yet once more I say: go back! Don't suppose
that I am thinking of your preservation. No! I know that you will not
be returning to personal safety. But I had much rather think of you in
danger there than see you exposed to what may be met here."
"I tell you what," said Miss Haldin, after a moment of reflection. "I
believe that you hate revolution; you fancy it's not quite honest. You
belong to a people which has made a bargain with fate and wouldn't like
to be rude to it. But we have made no bargain. It was never offered to
us--so much liberty for so much hard cash. You shrink from the idea
of revolutionary action for those you think well of as if it were
something--how shall I say it--not quite decent."
I bowed my head.
"You are quite right," I said. "I think very highly of you"
"Don't suppose I do not know it," she began hurriedly. "Your friendship
has been very valuable."
"I have done little else but look on."
She was a little flushed under the eyes.
"There is a way of looking on which is valuable I have felt less lonely
because of it. It's difficult to explain."
"Really? Well, I too have felt less lonely. That's easy to explain,
though. But it won't go on much longer. The last thing I want to tell
you is this: in a real revolution--not a simple dynastic change or a
mere reform of institutions--in a real revolution the best characters
do not come to the front.
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