A Girl Among the Anarchists

ekrovitch's house, it will not be out of place for me to give a s

eptively long from Fitzroy Square, and Nekrovitch, like most Russians, was himself of so unpunctual and irregular a nature, that he seemed to foster the like habits in all his friends. The nominal hour for these social gatherings to commence was eight, but not till past nine did the guests begin to assemble, and t

ty in furniture, and yet poorer in decoration, this room bore evidence to its owners' contempt for such impedimenta, and their entire freedom from slavery to household gods. It was evident

ts and Fabians, Anarchists of all nationalities, journalists and literary men whose political views were immaterial, the pseudo-Bohemian who professes interest in the "queer s

powerful man, so massive and striking in appearance that he suggested comparison rather with some fact of nature-a rock, a vigorous forest tree-than with another man. He was one of those rare men who, like mountains in a landscape, suffice in themselves to relieve their environments, whatever these may be, from all taint of meanness. He stood out

usband, she had been compelled to take flight from the attentions of the Russian police. She was a curly-headed brunette, w

small but singularly intellectual head and an argumentative manner, whom I knew as Miss Cooper. The other was a man of some thirty-seven years, with auburn hair, which displayed a distinct tendency to develop into a flowing mane; tall, slim, and lithe of limb, with a splendid set of teeth, which showed under his bushy moustache whenever his frank, benevolent smile parted his

we all grew in the course of debate. Nekrovitch smiled sympathetically at my whole-hearted and ingenuous enthusiasm. He never made any attempt to scoff at it or to discourage me, though he vainly attempted to persuade me that Anarchism was too distant and unpractical

. He seemed always absolutely oblivious of his own great qualities, as simple and kindly in manners as a moujik but with a certain innate dignity and courtliness of demeanour which lifted him above most of those with whom he came in contact. I nourished an almost passionate ad

ary service. In prison he would not recognise the right of judges and jailers, and had consequently spent most of his time in a strait waistcoat and a dark cell. His forte was silence and dogged unyielding obstinacy. On escaping from Russian prisons he had gone to America: he had starved and tramped, but he had never accepted any sort of help. How he lived was a mystery to all. He was known to be an ascetic and a woman-hater, an

ed excitement at the news. For many months past I had sympathised with the Anarchist principles, but I had taken no particular steps towards joining the party o

that lady held very strong views. I had felt a little irritated at the conversation, for I entertained scant sympathy for what I regarded as hygienic fads; and the emphasis with which the lady averred that she touched neither flesh nor alcohol, and felt that by this abstinence she was not "besotting her brain nor befouling her soul," amused me much. Dr. Armitage

poet. One loud rat-tat made me feel certain that Kosinski had arrived, but I was again disillusioned, as an aesthetic, fascinating little lady made her entry, dragging triumphantly in tow a reluctant, unengaging and green-haired husband. Nekrovitch gave me a significant glance. "So sorry to be so late," the little lady began in a high-pitched voice, "but I had

ose and toes, gave utterance to a suppressed groan; but a cup of steaming tea and some appetising bu

aw before me a tall, big, well-built man, with a slight stoop in his shoulders, fair of skin, with a blonde beard and moustache, lank long hair, a finely-cut, firm-set mouth, and blue dreamy eyes, altogether a somewhat Christ-like face. He was clad in a thick, heavy, old-fashioned blue o

as decidedly hostile. But the marked indifference to opinion which his bearing indicated, his sincerity, h

tage at last afforded me an opportunity of exchanging a few words with him-even though on

ng the great Anarchist question. For the hundredth time the Russian had en

st be some sort of government, some fixed recognis

mmoral. Immoral conditions breed immoral people. In a free and enlightened society there would

t Armitage was not to be moved, had left us to ourselves and gone across to his other g

cannot fail to see the futility of attempting to tinker up our worn-out society. You must see that our

ics of Fabians and Social Democrats are not much to my taste; in fact I may say that I am sick of them. A few men like our friend Nekrovitch, who ennoble any opinions they may hold, are of course exceptions, but I cannot blind myself to the fact that ambition, wire

the globe. But each group is autonomous, and within the group each individual is his own law. Such an arrangement, besides being right in principle, offers great practical advantages in our war against society, and renders it impossible for governments to stamp us out. Again, as to our lack of programme, if a clear grasp of principle and of the ultimate aim to be attained is meant, it is wrong to say we have no programme, but, if you mean a set of rules and formulas, why, what are they after all but a means of sterilising ideas? Men and their surroundings are unceasingly undergoing modifi

at the service of the Cause, and that thus one is d

vice, whereas benevolence, by making it just possible for people to put up with

st advantage,' who are the ruin of every movement," he said, addressing me in an uncompromising spirit. "What is wanted to accomplish any great change is enthusiasm, whole-hearted labour, and where that is, no thought is taken as to whether everything is being used to the best advantage. If you are prepared to enter the movement in this spirit, without

aughed heartily, enjoying this psychological sidelight, and I, who ought to have felt crushed, was perhaps the only one who thoroughly endorsed the sentiment expressed, finding therein the solution of many moral difficulties which had beset me. Kosinksi was right. I felt one must go the whole

rds Anarchist doctrines, and my disposition was more inclined towards action of any order than towards mere speculation. I was the first to speak. "Kosinski is quite right; I am the first to recognise

r distrustful; they are so rarely prepared to forgo what they consider the privileges of the sex-which is but another phrase for bos

nski. I have always known you as a confirmed misogynist, and I see you still r

late, and Humphry is never fit for anything unless he gets at least six hours' sleep. Good-bye; thanks for such a pleasant evening," and she bustled out, followed by her husband. I rose to follow her example and, turning a deaf ear to Nekrovitch, who remarked, "Oh, Isa

usual in this circle to eschew surnames, and most of my friends and acquaintances called me Isabel in preference to Miss Meredith-"I hope, Isabel, that you will come to our meetings. I should like yo

ll me how and when; for I suppose one requires som

o sort of mystery about our meetings. There will be a meeting at the office of our paper, the Bomb, next Saturday. Do come. The bu

o come!" I exclaimed. "Wh

ting about the Myers case, and we are anxious to get at the truth of the business. It may strike you as a rather unsuitable introduction, but come nevertheless. T

come if you will gi

fice of the Bomb in Slater's Mews,

own thoughts and Dr. Armitage was noted for his long periods of silence. At last we reached my doors