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Chapter 1
Everythingwouldbeinthemelting-pot,andtheylookedtoseeanewworldemerge.Thecapitalistswouldrakeintheshekels,andmakefortunesbybuyingupwreckage.Capital,hesaid,hadnoconscienceandnofatherland.Besides,theJewwasbehindit,andtheJewhatedRussiaworsethanhell.
“Doyouwonder?”hecried.“Forthreehundredyearstheyhavebeenpersecuted,andthisisthereturnmatchforthepogroms.TheJewiseverywhere,butyouhavetogofardownthebackstairstofindhim.TakeanybigTeutonicbusinessconcern.IfyouhavedealingswithitthefirstmanyoumeetisPrincevonundzuSomething,anelegantyoungmanwhotalksEton-and-HarrowEnglish.Buthecutsnoice.Ifyourbusinessisbig,yougetbehindhimandfindaprognathousWestphalianwitharetreatingbrowandthemannersofahog.HeistheGermanbusinessmanthatgivesyourEnglishpaperstheshakes.Butifyou’reonthebiggestkindofjobandareboundtogettotherealboss,tentooneyouarebroughtupagainstalittlewhite-facedJewinabath-chairwithaneyelikearattlesnake.Yes,sir,heisthemanwhoisrulingtheworldjustnow,andhehashisknifeintheEmpireoftheTsar,becausehisauntwasoutragedandhisfatherfloggedinsomeone-horselocationontheVolga.”
IcouldnothelpsayingthathisJew-anarchistsseemedtohavegotleftbehindalittle.
“Yesandno,”hesaid.“Theywonuptoapoint,buttheystruckabiggerthingthanmoney,athingthatcouldn’tbebought,theoldelementalfightinginstinctsofman.