and in just the same voice
as during their walk was she able to turn frankly towards him. His look
had not changed. Impossible to divine the thoughts hidden by his smile;
he bore himself with perfect control.

At table all was cheerfulness. Speaking of things Russian, Irene
recalled her winter in Finland, which she had so greatly enjoyed.

"I remember," said Otway, "you had just returned when I met you for the
first time."

It was said with a peculiar intonation, which fell agreeably on the
listener's ear; a note familiar, in the permitted degree, yet
touchingly respectful; a world of emotion subdued to graceful
friendliness. Irene passed over the reminiscence with a light word or
two, and went on to gossip merely of trifles.

"Do you like caviare, Mr. Otway?"

"Except perhaps that supplied by the literary censor," was his laughing
reply.

"Now I am _intriguee_. Please explain."

"We call caviare the bits blacked out in our newspapers and
periodicals."

"Unpalatable enough!" laughed Irene. "How angry that would make me!"

"I got used to it," said Piers, "and thought it rather good fun
sometimes. After all, a wise autocrat might well prohibit newspapers
altogether, don't you think? They have done good, I suppose, but they
are just as likely to do harm. When the next great war comes,
newspapers will be the chief cause of it. And for mere profit, that's
the worst. There are newspaper proprietors in every country, who would
slaughter half mankind for the pennies of the half who were left,
without caring a fraction of a penny whether they had preached war for
a truth or a lie."

"But doesn't a newspaper simply echo the opinions and feelings of its
public?"

"I'm afraid it manufactures opinion, and stirs up feeling. Consider how
very few people know or care anything about most subjects of
international quarrel. A mere handful at the noisy centre of things who
make the quarrel. The business of newspapers, in general, is to give a
show of importance to what has no real importance at all--to prevent
the world from living quietly--to arouse bitterness when the natural
man would be quite different."

"Oh, surely you paint them too black! We must live, we can't let the
world stagnate. Newspapers only express the natural life of peoples,
acting and interacting."

"I suppose I quarrel with them," said Piers, once more subduing
himself, "because they have such gigantic power and don't make anything
like the best use