Тридцять дев’ять ступенів

           Everythingwouldbeinthemelting-pot,andtheylookedtoseeanewworldemerge.Thecapitalistswouldrakeintheshekels,andmakefortunesbybuyingupwreckage.Capital,hesaid,hadnoconscienceandnofatherland.Besides,theJewwasbehindit,andtheJewhatedRussiaworsethanhell.

           “Doyouwonder?”hecried.“Forthreehundredyearstheyhavebeenpersecuted,andthisisthereturnmatchforthepogroms.TheJewiseverywhere,butyouhavetogofardownthebackstairstofindhim.TakeanybigTeutonicbusinessconcern.IfyouhavedealingswithitthefirstmanyoumeetisPrincevonundzuSomething,anelegantyoungmanwhotalksEton-and-HarrowEnglish.Buthecutsnoice.Ifyourbusinessisbig,yougetbehindhimandfindaprognathousWestphalianwitharetreatingbrowandthemannersofahog.HeistheGermanbusinessmanthatgivesyourEnglishpaperstheshakes.Butifyou’reonthebiggestkindofjobandareboundtogettotherealboss,tentooneyouarebroughtupagainstalittlewhite-facedJewinabath-chairwithaneyelikearattlesnake.Yes,sir,heisthemanwhoisrulingtheworldjustnow,andhehashisknifeintheEmpireoftheTsar,becausehisauntwasoutragedandhisfatherfloggedinsomeone-horselocationontheVolga.”

           IcouldnothelpsayingthathisJew-anarchistsseemedtohavegotleftbehindalittle.

           “Yesandno,”hesaid.“Theywonuptoapoint,buttheystruckabiggerthingthanmoney,athingthatcouldn’tbebought,theoldelementalfightinginstinctsofman.