What Lerroux wanted was a party of orators who could speak at public meetings, a party of office-holders, councillors, provincial deputies and the like, while I held, and still hold, that the only efficacious revolutionary weapon is the printed page. Lerroux was anxious to transform the radical party into something aristocratic and Castilian; I desired to see it retain its Catalan character, and continue to wear blouses and rope-soled shoes.
I withdrew from the party for these reasons, to which I may add Lerroux's attitude of indifference upon the occasion of the execution of the stoker of the "Numancia."
Not many months after, I met him on the Carrera de San Jerónimo, and he said to me:
"I have read your diatribes."
"They were not directed against you, but against your politics. I shall never speak ill of you, because I have no cause."
"Yes," he replied, "I know that at heart you are one of my friends."
AN OFFER
A number of years ago, when the Conservatives were in power and Dato was President of the Ministry, Azorín brought me word that Sánchez Guerra, then Minister of the Interior, wished to see me and to have a little talk, as perhaps some way might be arranged by which I might be made deputy. During the afternoon, I accompanied Azorín to the Ministry, and we saw the Minister.
He informed me that he would like to have me enter the Congress.
"I should like to myself," I replied, "but it would appear to me rather difficult."