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drink to her； it should be clothes also； according to the idea of the cocoa
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manufacturer。 But this by the way。
Of course； they immediately became the centre of attraction。 By
being able to render them some slight assistance； I gained the advantage of
five minutes' conversation with them。 They were very affable。 The
gentleman told me his name was Jones； and that he came from Manchester；
but he did not seem to know what part of Manchester； or where
Manchester was。 I asked him where he was going to； but he evidently
did not know。 He said it depended。 I asked him if he did not find an
alpenstock a clumsy thing to walk about with through a crowded town； he
admitted that occasionally it did get in the way。 I asked him if he did not
find a veil interfere with his view of things； he explained that you only
wore it when the flies became troublesome。 I enquired of the lady if she
did not find the wind blow cold； she said she had noticed it； especially at
the corners。 I did not ask these questions one after another as I have here
put them down； I mixed them up with general conversation； and we parted
on good terms。
I have pondered much upon the apparition； and have come to a definite
opinion。 A man I met later at Frankfort； and to whom I described the pair；
said he had seen them himself in Paris； three weeks after the termination
of the Fashoda incident； while a traveller for some English steel works
whom we met in Strassburg remembered having seen them in Berlin
during the excitement caused by the Transvaal question。 My conclusion
is that they were actors out of work； hired to do this thing in the interest of
international peace。 The French Foreign Office； wishful to allay the
anger of the Parisian mob clamouring for war with England； secured this
admirable couple and sent them round the town。 You cannot be amused
at a thing； and at the same time want to kill it。 The French nation saw the
English citizen and citizenessno caricature； but the living realityand
their indignation exploded in laughter。 The success of the stratagem
prompted them later on to offer their services to the German Government；
with the beneficial results that we all know。
Our own Government might learn the lesson。 It might be as well to
keep near Downing Street a few small； fat Frenchmen； to be sent round the
country when occasion called for it； shrugging their shoulders and eating
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frog sandwiches； or a file of untidy； lank… haired Germans might be
retained； to walk about； smoking long pipes； saying 〃So。〃 The public
would laugh and exclaim； 〃War with such？ It would be too absurd。〃
Failing the Government； I recommend the scheme to the Peace Society。
Our visit to Prague we were compelled to lengthen somewhat。
Prague is one of the most interesting towns in Europe。 Its stones are
saturated with history and romance； its every suburb must have been a
battlefield。 It is the town that conceived the Reformation and hatched the
Thirty Years' War。 But half Prague's troubles； one imagines； might have
been saved to it； had it possessed windows less large and temptingly
convenient。 The first of these mighty catastrophes it set rolling by
throwing the seven Catholic councillors from the windows of its Rathhaus
on to the pikes of the Hussites below。 Later； it gave the signal for the
second by again throwing the Imperial councillors from the windows of
the old Burg in the HradschinPrague's second 〃Fenstersturz。〃 Since；
other fateful questions have been decide in Prague； one assumes from their
having been concluded without violence that such must have been
discussed in cellars。 The window； as an argument； one feels； would
always have proved too strong a temptation to any true…born Praguer。
In the Teynkirche stands the worm…eaten pulpit from which preached
John Huss。 One may hear from the selfsame desk to…day the voice of a
Papist priest； while in far…off Constance a rude block of stone； half ivy
hidden； marks the spot where Huss and Jerome died burning at the stake。
History is fond of her little ironies。 In this same Teynkirche lies buried
Tycho Brahe； the astronomer； who made the common mistake of thinking
the earth； with its eleven hundred creeds and one humanity； the centre of
the universe； but who otherwise observed the stars clearly。
Through Prague's dirty； palace…bordered alleys must have pressed
often in hot haste blind Ziska and open…minded Wallensteinthey have
dubbed him 〃The Hero〃 in Prague； and the town is honestly proud of
having owned him for citizen。 In his gloomy palace in the Waldstein…
Platz they show as a sacred spot the cabinet where he prayed； and seem to
have persuaded themselves he really had a soul。 Its steep； winding ways
must have been choked a dozen times； now by Sigismund's flying legions；
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followed by fierce…killing Tarborites； and now by pale Protestants pursued
by the victorious Catholics of Maximilian。 Now Saxons； now Bavarians；
and now French； now the saints of Gustavus Adolphus； and now the steel
fighting machines of Frederick the Great； have thundered at its gates and
fought upon its bridges。
The Jews have always been an important feature of Prague。
Occasionally they have assisted the Christians in their favourite
occupation of slaughtering one another； and the great flag suspended from
the vaulting of the Altneuschule testifies to the courage with which they
helped Catholic Ferdinand to resist the Protestant Swedes。 The Prague
Ghetto was one of the first to be established in Europe； and in the tiny
synagogue； still standing； the Jew of Prague has worshipped for