[74]. The author of the famous Memoirs (1675-1755) was an ancestor of the preacher of socialism (1760-1825).
I turned to the chairman. “There!” I said, “what an injustice! You are trying me for Saint-Simonianism, and you, Prince, have on your shelves twenty volumes of his works.”
The worthy man had never read a book in his life, and was at loss for a reply. But Golitsyn junior darted a furious glance at me and asked, “Don’t you see that these are the works of the Duc de Saint-Simon who lived in the reign of Louis XIV?”
The chairman smiled and conveyed to me by a nod his impression that I had made a slip this time; then he said, “You may go.”
When I had reached the door, the chairman asked, “Was it he who wrote the article about Peter the Great which you showed me?”
“Yes,” answered Shubenski.
I stopped short.
“He has ability,” remarked the chairman.
“So much the worse: poison is more dangerous in skilful hands,” added the Inquisitor; “a very dangerous young man and quite incorrigible.”
These words contained my condemnation.