ation of their London
brethren, yet if the speaker did not bring back with him assurance of
such co-operation, Paris would act on its own initiative.

The Russian despot would have made short work of this blood-blinded
rhetoric, but alas, he was absent, and an overwhelming vote in favour
of force was carried and accepted by the trembling chairman. My French
_confrere_ took back with him to Paris the unanimous consent of the
English comrades to whom he had appealed. All that was asked of the
English contingent was that it should arrange for the escape and safe
keeping of the assassin who flung the bomb into the midst of the
English visitors, and after the oratorical madman had departed, I, to
my horror, was chosen to arrange for the safe transport and future
custody of the bomb-thrower. It is not etiquette in anarchist circles
for any member to decline whatever task is given him by the vote of
his comrades. He knows the alternative, which is suicide. If he
declines the task and still remains upon earth, the dilemma is solved
for him, as the Italian Felini solved it through the back of my
unfortunate helper Brisson. I therefore accepted the unwelcome office
in silence, and received from the treasurer the money necessary for
carrying out the same.

I realised for the first time since joining the anarchist association
years before that I was in genuine danger. A single false step, a
single inadvertent word, might close the career of Eugene Valmont, and
at the same moment terminate the existence of the quiet, inoffensive
Paul Ducharme, teacher of the French language. I knew perfectly well I
should be followed. The moment I received the money the French
delegate asked when they were to expect me in Paris. He wished to know
so that all the resources of their organisation might be placed at my
disposal. I replied calmly enough that I could not state definitely on
what day I should leave England. There was plenty of time, as the
business men's representatives from London would not reach Paris for
another two weeks. I was well known to the majority of the Paris
organisation, and would present myself before them on the first night
of my arrival. The Paris delegate exhibited all the energy of a new
recruit, and he seemed dissatisfied with my vagueness, but I went on
without heeding his displeasure. He was not personally known to me,
nor I to him, but if I may say so, Paul Ducharme was well thought of
by all the rest of those pres