Тридцять дев’ять ступенів

           Hewroteabit,andactedaswarcorrespondentforaChicagopaper,andspentayearortwoinSouth-EasternEurope.Igatheredthathewasafinelinguist,andhadgottoknowprettywellthesocietyinthoseparts.HespokefamiliarlyofmanynamesthatIrememberedtohaveseeninthenewspapers.

           Hehadplayedaboutwithpolitics,hetoldme,atfirstfortheinterestofthem,andthenbecausehecouldn’thelphimself.Ireadhimasasharp,restlessfellow,whoalwayswantedtogetdowntotherootsofthings.Hegotalittlefurtherdownthanhewanted.

           IamgivingyouwhathetoldmeaswellasIcouldmakeitout.AwaybehindalltheGovernmentsandthearmiestherewasabigsubterraneanmovementgoingon,engineeredbyverydangerouspeople.Hehadcomeonitbyaccident;itfascinatedhim;hewentfurther,andthenhegotcaught.Igatheredthatmostofthepeopleinitwerethesortofeducatedanarchiststhatmakerevolutions,butthatbesidethemtherewerefinancierswhowereplayingformoney.Aclevermancanmakebigprofitsonafallingmarket,anditsuitedthebookofbothclassestosetEuropebytheears.

           Hetoldmesomequeerthingsthatexplainedalotthathadpuzzledme—thingsthathappenedintheBalkanWar,howonestatesuddenlycameoutontop,whyalliancesweremadeandbroken,whycertainmendisappeared,andwherethesinewsofwarcamefrom.TheaimofthewholeconspiracywastogetRussiaandGermanyatloggerheads.

           WhenIaskedwhy,hesaidthattheanarchistlotthoughtitwouldgivethemtheirchance.