startling--effective. Let them be directed against buildings, for
instance. What is the fetish of the hour that all the bourgeoisie
recognise--eh, Mr Verloc?"

Mr Verloc opened his hands and shrugged his shoulders slightly.

"You are too lazy to think," was Mr Vladimir's comment upon that gesture.
"Pay attention to what I say. The fetish of to-day is neither royalty
nor religion. Therefore the palace and the church should be left alone.
You understand what I mean, Mr Verloc?"

The dismay and the scorn of Mr Verloc found vent in an attempt at levity.

"Perfectly. But what of the Embassies? A series of attacks on the
various Embassies," he began; but he could not withstand the cold,
watchful stare of the First Secretary.

"You can be facetious, I see," the latter observed carelessly. "That's
all right. It may enliven your oratory at socialistic congresses. But
this room is no place for it. It would be infinitely safer for you to
follow carefully what I am saying. As you are being called upon to
furnish facts instead of cock-and-bull stories, you had better try to
make your profit off what I am taking the trouble to explain to you. The
sacrosanct fetish of to-day is science. Why don't you get some of your
friends to go for that wooden-faced panjandrum--eh? Is it not part of
these institutions which must be swept away before the F. P. comes
along?"

Mr Verloc said nothing. He was afraid to open his lips lest a groan
should escape him.