door into the large hall shut and called the fortyfive or forty-six men up to me. I explained to the young fellows that to-night, for the first time, the Move¬ ment would have to prove its faithfulness to the point of bending and breaking, and that none of us might leave the hall, except we were carried out dead ; but I did not think any of them would desert me. If I saw any man showing himself a coward, I should myself tear his armlet off him and take away his badge. I then called on them to go forward at once at the first sign of an attempt to break up the meeting, and to remember that a man defends himself best by attacking.
I was answered by three cheers which sounded fiercer and hotter than ever before.
Then I entered the hall and saw the situation with my own eyes. They sat packed close and tried to stab me with their looks. Numberless faces were turned on me with seething hatred, whilst others uttered yells which meant but one thing. They knew they were the stronger party and felt according.
It was, however, possible to start the meeting, and I began to speak.
After about an hour and a half the signal was given. A few angry cries, and a man suddenly leaped on to a chair and yelled “Liberty !” Upon which the fighters for liberty began their work. In a few seconds the hall was filled with a yelling and howling mob, above which numberless pint-pots flew like howitzer shells. Chair legs smashed, glasses shivered ; howls and screams. It was a mad spectacle.
I stood up where I was and watched my active young fellows doing their part.
The dance had hardly begun when my Stormtroops, as they were named from that day forth, attacked. Like wolves they rushed again and again in parties of .eight or ten on the enemy, and began grad¬ ually to sweep