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1916] M. PROTOPOPOFF AND HERR WARBURG427
whole time! Was that the way to talk to a foreign
statesman, above all to a Swede ?"
I saw a bitter smile on both their faces. " But it
has been like this during our whole journey," replied
Olsufieff; "he allowed no one else to talk, he was
always thrusting himself forward."
"Always is perhaps saying too much," amended the
cautious M. Vassilieff; "but latterly he has certainly
become excited and loquacious to a degree!"
Three or four hours later when I went to fetch
these gentlemen in a motor-car to take them to the
station, Protopopoff related to Professor Vassilieff and
me (Count Olsufieff had taken part in the Polak
tea-party) his conversation with Herr Warburg; the latter
had apparently hastened to express—as I had predicted—
complaints about the war, and his desire for immediate
peace-making.
" But I did not allow him to talk too much " (I believe
you ! thought I). " I told him how clearly assured was
the ultimate victory of the Russians and Allies which
would end the war. Yes, war is a ghastly thing, but it
has its good side. It has taught France the need for
prayer, it has brought compulsory service to England,
and the suppression of drunkenness to Russia." Since
the day before this was the third time that I heard that
aphorism, of which Protopopoff seemed inordinately
proud (it appears that he had given vent to it countless
times during his journey). At the station we bade
one another farewell, and the three gentlemen left for
Petrograd. The Polak couple stayed on a few days in
Stockholm, but I had no opportunity of seeing them
again.
On my return from the station I sent for the one
of my colleagues who knew most abuut the affairs of
Germany, and I made inquiries about this Herr Warburg
whom MM. Protopopoff and Olsufieff had just been
meeting. I learnt that he was not the famous Warburg
of Hamburg, but a brother or a cousin of his; that he
was on the German committee for revictualling, and at
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