"'Voyons, companions——' I began, but the president signed to me to be silent and continued—
"'Let me proceed to the distribution of the funds. Giovanni, take this bag first to the companion, Jean Antoine Stromboli Kosnapulski.'
"My turn had come, and I was free to speak. They cheered me as I rose, imagining, no doubt, that I wished to return thanks for the honour done to me. But this was not my purpose. My suspicions were awakened, and I concentrated those suspicions in the form of searching questions.
"'This bag of money is for me,' I began.
"'Naturally,' replied the president.
"'To do what I like with?'
"'Absolutely.'
"'And for each companion present there is a similar bag for him also, to do what he likes with?'
"'Assuredly. We are all brothers here.'
"'And the great revenues of this great society are collected for no other purpose than to be thus divided weekly among the favoured few?'