"Yes. Well, there was a time when Ivan Gorof was like a flame. He was more moved than any one. He was a student,—and so enthusiastic, so believing,—I can't tell you! Afterwards he changed. That came suddenly. But this night he spoke about the Brotherhood as he wanted it to be. He said it could be a chain of hands round the earth, of people who wanted to do justice and show mercy. The old oppressors killed, he said. The Brotherhood must not kill. It can put to death,—but justly."
"What did he mean by justly?"
"Ah, that I don't know. I don't believe he knew, that night. He was like a man seeing a vision. But if such a thing could grow and grow, he said, that would be the kingdom of God. It would begin with the poor. Then some day a king would join it, and there would be rejoicing and wonder because some would think the king was mad and others would know it meant a great step upward. And they would all choose law, not liberty as the Brotherhood sees it. And then, he said, there would be a new heaven and a new earth, and it wouldn't be possible for oppressors to live, because everybody would love love and be afraid of hate. But it would all come through men who hated injustice more when they did it than when it was done to them."
"But that," said Electra, in no great interest, "is only Christianity."
"Is it? I don't know about that. I thought it was Ivan Gorof."
"What did he say?"
"My father?"
"The chief."
"It was reported to him, and I believe he said it was visionary. He probably smiled a little. He said there would be no peace without the sword. And afterwards Ivan told him to his face—I heard him—that it would come by the sword, but not the sword of war. It must be the sword kept hanging in the temple to be used for the god of the temple."
"Was the chief indignant?"