..Listen, then. I am a Russian, and for two years have been an exile.
I will not now speak of my house, for it is no more, or how I escaped,
for it is the common tale of all of us. I have seen things more
terrible than any dream and yet lived, but I have paid a price for
such experience. First I went to Italy where there were friends, and
I wished only to have peace among kindly people. About poverty I do
not care, for, to us, who have lost all the great things, the want of
bread is a little matter. But peace was forbidden me, for I learned
that we Russians had to win back our fatherland again, and that the
weakest must work in that cause. So I was set my task, and it was
very hard....There were others still hidden in Russia which must be
brought to a safe place. In that work I was ordered to share."

She spoke in almost perfect English, with a certain foreign precision.
Suddenly she changed to French, and talked rapidly to Heritage.

"She has told me about her family," he said, turning to Dickson.
"It is among the greatest in Russia, the very greatest after the throne."
Dickson could only stare.

"Our enemies soon discovered me," she went on. "Oh, but they are
very clever, these enemies, and they have all the criminals of the
world to aid them. Here you do not understand what they are.
You good people in England think they are well-meaning dreamers who
are forced into violence by the persecution of Western Europe.
But you are wrong. Some honest fools there are among them, but the
power--the true power--lies with madmen and degenerates, and they
have for allies the special devil that dwells in each country.
That is why they cast their nets as wide as mankind."