〃He　went　to　speak　to　Renard；〃　said　the　Professor。
  〃We　cannot　leave　him　among　all　those　beasts；〃　cried　Syme。　〃Let　us　die　like　gentlemen　if〃
  〃Do　not　pity　the　Colonel；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　with　a　pale　sneer。　〃He　is　extremely　comfortable。　He　is〃
  〃No！　no！　no！〃　cried　Syme　in　a　kind　of　frenzy；　〃not　the　Colonel　too！　I　will　never　believe　it！〃
  〃Will　you　believe　your　eyes？〃　asked　the　other；　and　pointed　to　the　beach。
  Many　of　their　pursuers　had　waded　into　the　water　shaking　their　fists；　but　the　sea　was　rough；　and　they　could　not　reach　the　pier。　Two　or　three　figures；　however；　stood　on　the　beginning　of　the　stone　footway；　and　seemed　to　be　cautiously　advancing　down　it。　The　glare　of　a　chance　lantern　lit　up　the　faces　of　the　two　foremost。　One　face　wore　a　black　half…mask；　and　under　it　the　mouth　was　twisting　about　in　such　a　madness　of　nerves　that　the　black　tuft　of　beard　wriggled　round　and　round　like　a　restless；　living　thing。　The　other　was　the　red　face　and　white　moustache　of　Colonel　Ducroix。　They　were　in　earnest　consultation。
  〃Yes；　he　is　gone　too；〃　said　the　Professor；　and　sat　down　on　a　stone。　〃Everything's　gone。　I'm　gone！　I　can't　trust　my　own　bodily　machinery。　I　feel　as　if　my　own　hand　might　fly　up　and　strike　me。〃
  〃When　my　hand　flies　up；〃　said　Syme；　〃it　will　strike　somebody　else；〃　and　he　strode　along　the　pier　towards　the　Colonel；　the　sword　in　one　hand　and　the　lantern　in　the　other。
  As　if　to　destroy　the　last　hope　or　doubt；　the　Colonel；　who　saw　him　coming；　pointed　his　revolver　at　him　and　fired。　The　shot　missed　Syme；　but　struck　his　sword；　breaking　it　short　at　the　hilt。　Syme　rushed　on；　and　swung　the　iron　lantern　above　his　head。
  〃Judas　before　Herod！〃　he　said；　and　struck　the　Colonel　down　upon　the　stones。　Then　he　turned　to　the　Secretary；　whose　frightful　mouth　was　almost　foaming　now；　and　held　the　lamp　high　with　so　rigid　and　arresting　a　gesture；　that　the　man　was；　as　it　were；　frozen　for　a　moment；　and　forced　to　hear。
  〃Do　you　see　this　lantern？〃　cried　Syme　in　a　terrible　voice。　〃Do　you　see　the　cross　carved　on　it；　and　the　flame　inside？　You　did　not　make　it。　You　did　not　light　it；　Better　men　than　you；　men　who　could　believe　and　obey；　twisted　the　entrails　of　iron　and　preserved　the　legend　of　fire。　There　is　not　a　street　you　walk　on；　there　is　not　a　thread　you　wear；　that　was　not　made　as　this　lantern　was；　by　denying　your　philosophy　of　dirt　and　rats。　You　can　make　nothing。　You　can　only　destroy。　You　will　destroy　mankind；　you　will　destroy　the　world。　Let　that　suffice　you。　Yet　this　one　old　Christian　lantern　you　shall　not　destroy。　It　shall　go　where　your　empire　of　apes　will　never　have　the　wit　to　find　it。〃
  He　struck　the　Secretary　once　with　the　lantern　so　that　he　staggered；　and　then；　whirling　it　twice　round　his　head；　sent　it　flying　far　out　to　sea；　where　it　flared　like　a　roaring　rocket　and　fell。
  〃Swords！〃　shouted　Syme；　turning　his　flaming　face　；　to　the　three　behind　him。　〃Let　us　charge　these　dogs；　for　our　time　has　come　to　die。〃
  His　three　companions　came　after　him　sword　in　hand。　Syme's　sword　was　broken；　but　he　rent　a　bludgeon　from　the　fist　of　a　fisherman；　flinging　him　down。　In　a　moment　they　would　have　flung　themselves　upon　the　face　of　the　mob　and　perished；　when　an　interruption　came。　The　Secretary；　ever　since　Syme's　speech；　had　stood　with　his　hand　to　his　stricken　head　as　if　dazed；　now　he　suddenly　pulled　off　his　black　mask。
  The　pale　face　thus　peeled　in　the　lamplight　revealed　not　so　much　rage　as　astonishment。　He　put　up　his　hand　with　an　anxious　authority。
  〃There　is　some　mistake；〃　he　said。　〃Mr。　Syme；　I　hardly　think　you　understand　your　position。　I　arrest　you　in　the　name　of　the　law。〃
  〃Of　the　law？〃　said　Syme；　and　dropped　his　stick。
  〃Certainly！〃　said　the　Secretary。　〃I　am　a　detective　from　Scotland　Yard；〃　and　he　took　a　small　blue　card　from　his　pocket。
  〃And　what　do　you　suppose　we　are？〃　asked　the　Professor；　and　threw　up　his　arms。
  〃You；〃　said　the　Secretary　stiffly；　〃are；　as　I　know　for　a　fact；　members　of　the　Supreme　Anarchist　Council。　Disguised　as　one　of　you；　I〃
  Dr。　Bull　tossed　his　sword　into　the　sea。
  〃There　never　was　any　Supreme　Anarchist　Council；〃　he　said。　〃We　were　all　a　lot　of　silly　policemen　looking　at　each　other。　And　all　these　nice　people　who　have　been　peppering　us　with　shot　thought　we　were　the　dynamiters。　I　knew　I　couldn't　be　wrong　about　the　mob；〃　he　said；　beaming　over　the　enormous　multitude；　which　stretched　away　to　the　distance　on　both　sides。　〃Vulgar　people　are　never　mad。　I'm　vulgar　myself；　and　I　know。　I　am　now　going　on　shore　to　stand　a　drink　to　everybody　here。〃
  CHAPTER　XIII
  THE　PURSUIT　OF　THE　PRESIDENT
  NEXT　morning　five　bewildered　but　hilarious　people　took　the　boat　for　Dover。　The　poor　old　Colonel　might　have　had　some　cause　to　complain；　having　been　first　forced　to　fight　for　two　factions　that　didn't　exist；　and　then　knocked　down　with　an　iron　lantern。　But　he　was　a　magnanimous　old　gentleman；　and　being　much　relieved　that　neither　party　had　anything　to　do　with　dynamite；　he　saw　them　off　on　the　pier　with　great　geniality。
  The　five　reconciled　detectives　had　a　hundred　details　to　explain　to　each　other。　The　Secretary　had　to　tell　Syme　how　they　had　come　to　wear　masks　originally　in　order　to　approach　the　supposed　enemy　as　fellow…conspirators；
  Syme　had　to　explain　how　they　had　fled　with　such　swiftness　through　a　civilised　country。　But　above　all　these　matters　of　detail　which　could　be　explained；　rose　the　central　mountain　of　the　matter　that　they　could　not　explain。　What　did　it　all　mean？　If　they　were　all　harmless　officers；　what　was　Sunday？　If　he　had　not　seized　the　world；　what　on　earth　had　he　been　up　to？　Inspector　Ratcliffe　was　still　gloomy　about　this。
  〃I　can't　make　head　or　tail　of　old　Sunday's　little　game　any　more　than　you　can；〃　he　said。　〃But　whatever　else　Sunday　is；　he　isn't　a　blameless　citizen。　Damn　it！　do　you　remember　his　face？〃
  〃I　grant　you；〃　answered　Syme；　〃that　I　have　never　been　able　to　forget　it。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　the　Secretary；　〃I　suppose　we　can　find　out　soon；　for　tomorrow　we　have　our　next　general　meeting。　You　will　excuse　me；〃　he　said；　with　a　rather　ghastly　smile；　〃for　being　well　acquainted　with　my　secretarial　duties。〃
  〃I　suppose　you　are　right；〃　said　the　Professor　reflectively。　〃I　suppose　we　might　find　it　out　from　him；　but　I　confess　that　I　should　feel　a　bit　afraid　of　asking　Sunday　who　he　really　is。〃
  〃Why；〃　asked　the　Secretary；　〃for　fear　of　bombs？〃
  〃No；〃　said　the　Professor；　〃for　fear　he　might　tell　me。〃
  〃Let　us　have　some　drinks；〃　said　Dr。　Bull；　after　a　silence。
  Throughout　their　whole　journey　by　boat　and　train　they　were　highly　convivial；　but　they　instinctively　kept　together。　Dr。　Bull；　who　had　always　been　the　optimist　of　the　party；　endeavoured　to　persuade　the　other　four　that　the　whole　company　could　take　the　same　hansom　cab　from　Victoria；　but　this　was　over…ruled；　and　they　went　in　a　four…wheeler；　with　Dr。　Bull　on　the　box；　singing。　They　finished　their　journey　at　an　hotel　in　Piccadilly　Circus；　so　as　to　be　close　to　the　early　breakfast　next　morning　in　Leicester　Square。　Yet　even　then　the　adventures　of　the　day　were　not　entirely　over。　Dr。　Bull；　discontented　with　the　general　proposal　to　go　to　bed；　had　strolled　out　of　the　hotel　at　about　eleven　to　see　and　taste　some　of　the　beauties　of　London。　Twenty　minutes　afterwards；　however；　he　came　back　and　made　quite　a　clamour　in　the　hall。　Syme；　who　tried　at　first　to　soothe　him；　was　forced　at　last　to　listen　to　his　communication　with　quite　new　attention。
  〃I　tell　you　I've　seen　him！〃　said　Dr。　Bull；　with　thick　emphasis。
  〃Whom？〃　asked　Syme　quickly。　〃Not　the　President？〃
  〃Not　so　bad　as　that；〃　said　Dr。　Bull；　with　unnecessary　laughter；　〃not　so　bad　as　that。　I've　got　him　here。〃
  〃Got　whom　here？〃　asked　Syme　impatiently。
  〃Hairy　man；〃　said　the　other　lucidly；　〃man　that　used　to　be　hairy　manGogol。　Here　he　is；〃　and　he　pulled　forward　by　a　reluctant　elbow　the　identical　young　man　who　five　days　before　had　marched　out　of　the　Council　with　thin　red　hair　and　a　pale　face；　the　first　of　all　the　sham　anarchists　who　had　been　exposed。
  〃Why　do　you　worry　with　me？〃　he　cried。　〃You　have　expelled　me　as　a　spy。〃
  〃We　are　all　spies！〃　whispered　Syme。
  〃We're　all　spies！〃　shouted　Dr。　Bull。　〃Come　and　have　a　drink。〃
  Next　morning　the　battalion　of　the　reunited　six　marched　stolidly　towards　the　hotel　in　Leicester　Square。
  〃This　is　more　cheerful；〃　said　Dr。　Bull；　〃we　are　six　men　going　to　ask　one　man　what　he　means。〃
  〃I　think　it　is　a　bit　queerer　than　that；〃　said　Syme。　〃I　think　it　is　six　men　going　to　ask　one　man　what　they　mean。〃
  They　turned　in　silence　into　the　Square；　and　though　the　hotel　was　in　the　opposite　corner；　they　saw　at　once　the　little　balcony　and　a　figure　that　looked　too　big　for　it。　He　was　sitting　alone　with　bent　head；　poring　over　a　newspaper。　But　all　his　councillors；　who　had　come　to　vote　him　down；　crossed　that　Square　as　if　they　were　watched　out　of　heaven　by　a　hundred　eyes。
  They　had　disputed　much　upon　their　policy；　about　whether　they　should　leave　the　unmasked　Gogol　without　and　begin　diplomatically；　or　whether　they　should　bring　him　in　and　blow　up　the　gunpowder　at　once。　The　influence　of　Syme　and　Bull　prevailed　for　the　latter　course；　though　the　Secretary　to　the　last　asked　them　why　they　attacked　Sunday　so　rashly。
  〃My　reason　is　quite　simple；〃　said　Syme。　〃I　attack　him　rashly　because　I　am　afraid　of　him。〃
  They　followed　S