“I know all the strong workers and many of the weak ones. You are a powerful worker.” “Truly you do me too much honor,” I said, “for I am only a humble soldier in the army of the Law’s executants.” “The modesty of the great,” he observed, while he eyed me closely to see the effect of his words. “Whoever you are,” I said, “and I perceive that you are something unusual, know that my interest in my own stature is no longer paramount with me.” “It is for that reason that you may be used in the interest of peace.” “Continue,” I requested. He regarded me for a time with brilliant, questioning eyes, and then he asked: “You are weary of war, of the labor of war?” “I am weary with my sympathy for those who suffer.” “And you would like to end their suffering?” “It seems to me at times,” I said, more to myself than to him, “that I would gladly give my life, if by so doing I could shorten the horrors down here.” “Your life? And what do you mean by your life!” “I mean my consciousness of freedom, my freedom of consciousness.” “A good definition of the life of such as you,” he observed. “And would you really sacrifice that life for the world?” “Most gladly, if by so doing I could save the world.” “It might be possible,” he said. “Will you speak more plainly?” I demanded. “You seem to me to be feeling your way to some statement of importance.” “What can be more important,” he returned, “than the sacrifice of such a life as yours for the world?” “Go on.” “There is a way,” he said, “by which your sacrifice of what you call ‘the consciousness of freedom and the freedom of consciousness’ might save those men down there from further pain.” “Again I repeat, go on.” “It lies in my power,” he said, coming nearer and regarding me fixedly with his glowing eyes, “it lies in my power so to work upon the minds of the opposing armies, the armies on both sides, that they will refuse to fight any longer.” “And betray their countries?” I asked. “And bring peace,” he corrected me. “And what have I to do with it?” “You might have much to do with it.” “Your words are still dark to me,” I said. “Then I will make them clearer,” he replied. “In order for you to understand my meaning, it is necessary that I explain myself. I am one of those who serve the good by opposing the good, and thus giving it greater activity.” “So I had observed. Will you now state in clear words what purpose you have with me?” “My purpose is to make you a proposition. If you wish this carnage to cease--and already it has gone on long enough to serve the purpose which I serve, to soak the world with blood, to destroy that which a decade of labor will be too brief to rebuild, to awaken all the hatred and other evil passions which nest in the hearts of men--if you wish this carnage to cease, I have the means by which it can be made to cease.” “And where do I come in?”