“‘It is understood already in certain chancellories,’ my prisoner significantly replied, ’how my execution will be publicly accounted for....  Each Ministry will appoint a Commission, suggested by the Crown, to investigate and publish its own report....  The report published will be given out under the name of a Naval or Military Commission to impart an official sanction to the supposed inquiry and support the authenticity of the document agreed upon....  Naturally these prearranged reports will vary so as to satisfy the state of mind in each particular country.’...  ’If regicides are so easily arranged,’ I observed cautiously, ’perhaps the duration of this “Revolution” is also definitely determined?’...  There’ll be a period of revolution and distress,’ my prisoner remarked, ’before our country settles down to industry and contentment.  But the desire of “self-determination” will mislead the unfortunate and cause them to embrace a tyranny of the most cruel and selfish type.  This will last for a time until gluttony destroys itself, as all excesses do.  When the country is dismembered by the activities of rival greeds, my poor and honest peasants will turn upon their masters and restore this nation’s power.  They need but education to accomplish glorious results.  They will obtain this education while they suffer and evolve a science of self-government while learning to govern themselves.  It may seem strange to others when I say so; but not one of my whole family is covetous of the Imperial Crown.  We prefer peace and liberty to all the pomp and penalties of Royal isolation from the rest of men and women in the world.  Royalty means SLAVERY of the most humiliating form.  The boy or girl that is doomed to Royal birth steps into a prison with the first breath he breathes....  Take my own case; I longed to get out and play rough-and-tumble with the boys I saw staring at me in the streets.  But I was taught by my English tutor, Heath, that it would be lowering my dignity to associate with those fine young boys.  My “dignity” was placed in a strait-jacket and, in a namby-pamby way, I was taught to play ALONE.  I had cousins scattered over Europe who took their lot more happily than I; but even they regretted the mocking barriers that laid down a barrage between us and the more fortunate chaps outside,—­outside, they enjoyed FREEDOM,—­within, we were ALL prisoners in our little cells of etiquette and traditionary bondage.  At fifteen I was dragged away to the Military Academy at Petrograd[A] and made to listen to old Danilovich until I actually hated the very name of war.  I resolved at that time to inaugurate some means to get rid of such senseless waste of life if intrusted with the power.  The Hague was my interpretation of what should constitute a proper exercise of international obligation.  You realize, of course, the precarious state of Russia in a military sense,—­while force was indispensable to hold us all together from within, it always exposed