Chapter IV: Foreword

"The description of the Jewish cemetery in Prague and the legendary story of the meeting of the representatives of the twelve tribes of Israel are borrowed from the historico-political novel by Sir John Radcliff, 'To Sedan,' published in the magazine edited by Nicholas Stepanovitch Lvoff.

"The contents of the legend are not the invention of Radcliff himself; rather Radcliff, with his characteristic fantastic imagination, collected various parts into one whole and painted all with poetic colors, which strike one perhaps by their excessive gaudiness, but which are nevertheless interesting."

* * * * *

Passed by the Censor, St. Petersburg, May 17, 1872

This product of "Radcliff's fantastic imagination," the work of one experienced in the perpetration of forgeries, will now be permitted to tell its own story. It requires no commentary. It clearly foreshadows the protocols, with all its accompaniment of melodrama, not even omitting the Devil, himself.

THE JEWISH CEMETERY IN PRAGUE

and

The Council of Representatives of the Twelve Tribes of Israel

"The Jewish quarter of Prague represents a remarkable labyrinth of
crooked and narrow streets; it is situated in the outskirts of
Prague which witnessed numerous bloody episodes of Bohemian and
German history. The dwellers of the dirty and dilapidated houses of
this quarter are engaged in petty trading and profiteering in
their own as well as in other parts of the city. Prague is the only
city in Germany where the Jews live entirely isolated from the
nation whose name they have taken in order to avail themselves of
the privileges of the city population and to exploit it for their
own purposes. The Jewish quarter in Prague is the same as the
rag-fair in Vienna and the Temple in Paris. In these places deals
amounting to thousands are transacted daily.

"If you take a few steps along this dirty, foul market-place, you
will suddenly come upon an old, high, decayed wall which surrounds
a space of from two to three acres. Elder-trees and other wild
shrubbery wind around this wall. Old Jewish houses are crowded all
along near this wall, threatened with destruction at any moment.
The strange circle formed by this wall has an unwelcome, puzzling
appearance.

"This is the city of the dead--the renowned Prague cemetery.

"In this abode of rest may be seen the spirit of the nation, whose
bones found shelter here after long wandering,--here is stamped all
its history, full of sufferings, struggles and resistance.

"It seems as though at any moment these tombs, overgrown with
shrubbery, are ready to open, these stones growing for thousands of
years are ready to raise themselves, and to let out into the world
the restless wanderer with a pack upon his shoulder, with a staff
in his hand, in order to go again to strange peoples,--to cheat and
combat them and to seek a new Canaan--his dominion! The Jewish
cemetery in Prague is the very oldest cemetery known. It was closed
by order of the government a hundred years ago. For foreigners it
is a historical landmark; for the Jews it is a sacred place. The
impression of this deserted spot is intensified by its
surroundings. Amidst the closely crowded tombs and monuments,
overgrown with moss, only a narrow passage remains which is almost
entirely covered with shrubbery of thorn-bushes and mat-weed.

"During the inspection, the watchman will tell the visitor the
history of the death of Rabbi Ben Manasseh, the great conqueror of
death, and Rabbi Loewe, the most learned Rabbi of the 17th century;
he will speak of Simon the Just and of the Polish princess Anna
Shmiless. He will then lead the visitor to the monument of Anna
Kohn on which can be read the mysterious figure 606, which shows
that the Jews, more than twelve hundred years ago, had buried
their dead here, in the legendary times of Lyubush and her
daughters.

"If we are not to believe this figure, we must nevertheless agree
with the opinion of the Jews that this is the oldest settlement and
the first Jewish community in Europe.

"Silently the Jewish guide and the curious foreigner go by one
place where under an old lilac bush a heap of stone stands out, and
when the foreigner asks, 'What is this?' the guide gives an evasive
answer----

"'Beth Chaim--the house of life.' Thus is the cemetery called. Yes,
indeed, this place of rest is a house of life, for from here is
given the mysterious impulse which makes the exiles masters of the
earth and tyrants of nations,--the impulse which directs the golden
calf to the chosen tribe.

"The Jewish town has assumed a holiday aspect. The stands of the
petty retailers have disappeared; Jewish boys and girls were
strolling about in their holiday attire. The houses and windows
were adorned with green branches. On the old benches sat men,
talking seriously; in the alleys youths were chatting. From time to
time men and women in their best Sabbath clothes were going to the
synagogue, carrying prayer books in their hands; while poor
Christian women whom need had forced to work in this quarter were
running with keys and dishes in order to prepare for the feast.

"It was the last day of the Feast of Booths, the day of Assembly,
and dusk was gathering over the narrow streets, while the Christian
part of the city was still brightly illumined by the last rays of
the setting sun. Two men (the older wore a black silk mantle, with
long earlocks, which showed that he was a Polish Jew; the other was
middle aged, in modern clothes, with diamond studs in his shirt and
a heavy golden chain on his vest) walked along the narrow streets,
without paying any attention to the crowd.

"The younger seemed to be the guide. Having come with his companion
to the little house where the watchman of the cemetery lived, he
knocked at the closed door, through a crevice of which the bright
light of wax candles was seen, showing the watchman's holiday mood.
It was a good summer--a large number of foreigners had visited the
cemetery and were generous in their gifts.

"In the doorway appeared the thin face of the watchman, whose
short-sighted eyes began to look fixedly into the darkness.

"'Come out into the street, Joel, somebody wants to talk to you!'

"'O, God of Justice,' said the watchman with amazement, as he came
out of the door,--'One of the trustees! What is your pleasure to
command me?'

"'This Rabbi desires to make a brief prayer in the cemetery; he is
leaving to-morrow morning by train.'

"'In the cemetery? This evening? But you know yourself, Mr. Banker,
that I am forbidden to open the gates after sunset, and to-night is
also the holy Sabbath.'

"'First of all, there is no need for you to shout here about my
calling,' replied the banker, displeased. 'Every Jewish rag-picker
will know that banker Rosenberg was here to see you. As for the
permit to open the gates, I myself, as a trustee, authorize you to
do it. I will wait here until he has completed his prayer. The
company in your house must not know what we are doing here. Arrange
it so that the curious crowd will not rush in there.'

"The watchman disappeared in the house, but soon returned with a
bunch of keys and opened the gates of the cemetery. He took a
lantern along and was about to light it.

"'Don't!' said the Rabbi in a low voice. 'I don't need any light.
Lock the gates from the inside!'

"'But, Mr. von Rosenberg----'

"'Lock it, I say!'

"The watchman obeyed.

"'Now lead me to the grave of the holy Rabbi Simeon-ben-Yehudah!'

"'Hold on to my coat, esteemed sir,' said the watchman. 'It is dark
and you may stumble over the old graves.'

"'I can see better at night than in the daytime, my son!' answered
the learned Polish Jew.

"'Here is the grave!'

"The old Rabbi reverently leaned over the tombstone. The watchman
heard him pronounce a prayer in Jewish. He used so many words of
ancient Hebrew, or some other words of a language he did not
understand, that he knew only a few separate expressions, although
he himself had been in the past a teacher at the Bohemian
community.

"Having completed his prayer, the stranger turned to the watchman
of the cemetery:

"'When you accepted the position from your predecessor, did he not
give you certain instructions?'

"'Me?'

"'Yes, you! It was so from the day the first person was buried in
this place.'

"'Well, and what if he did give such instructions,--how does that
concern you? This the first time I am asked about this matter since
I am employed here.'

"'Because this happens once in a hundred years, and human life
rarely lasts as long as that.'

"'I see that you know about it, Rabbi,' said the frightened
watchman. 'But I can obey you only if you mention the word which
was given to me by my predecessor, because I took a sacred oath on
the Bible.'

"The Polish Jew bent down and slowly pronounced a word of seven
syllables.

"The watchman bowed respectfully.

"'You are the Rabbi!' he said. 'All will be done as you command!'

"'You will send away the friends who are feasting in your house
before the clock strikes eleven. At the first stroke you will open
the gates of the cemetery, and at the last stroke you will get into
your house, lock the doors and windows, lie down in your bed and
turn into a corpse together with the members of your
household,--into a corpse that sees and hears nothing.'

"'I will neither look nor listen.'

"'The angel of death will leave your soul in your body and will
force you to wander about among the graves to the end of time if
you do not carry out my orders correctly. Now go, and remember that
by virtue of your position you are the servant of the great
Jerusalem synagogue. I need not tell you that you should not say
anything to that vain, worldly man who brought me here.'

"Both returned to the gates, near which the banker was still on
guard.

"'Well,' he said, 'your desire is fulfilled, Rabbi, and you may
inform my friend in Warsaw that Rosenberg and Son are always ready
to do a favor to a guest recommended by such a personage. Now let
us go home; my wife is waiting for us.'

"'Let us go, my son,' replied the Rabbi. 'But relieve me of
worldly pleasures. I shall spend the night in prayer!'

"The banker shrugged his shoulders and gave the watchman a gold
coin.

"'Joel,' he said in a low voice, 'the other trustees of the
community must not know about this violation of the rule.'

"The watchman nodded, and the companion again disappeared in the
dark streets, which had already become deserted, while in the
houses people talked merrily and the sounds of holiday festivities
were heard.

"How poor, dirty and dark these little houses looked from outside!
But it was quite different within! In the rear rooms of many of
these houses the bright light of numerous wax candles was reflected
in the splendid high mirrors, in expensive dishes and precious
rugs. Girls and women, who in the morning perhaps walked with trays
in their hands, now were seated at the tables in heavy silk gowns
with golden chains and bracelets; their jewels and diamonds were
glittering.

* * * * *

"The clock in the town-hall tower struck ten. In the chapel, near
the statue of St. Nepomucenus, upon a stone bench, sat a
large-sized man, with the pale serious face of Germanic type. Every
physiognomist, looking at him, would have said that this man had
devoted his youth to serious scientific work and that he had spent
many sleepless nights over books.

"The clock had just struck ten when upon the bridge appeared a man
in a light summer coat, of about the same age as the young
scientist. His face was pale, of waxen color, without the slightest
natural red in his cheeks; his particularly prominent nose
indicated his Jewish extraction; his forehead was high and large,
his head was strongly developed. He walked straight over to the man
who was waiting and who quickly arose.

"'Good evening. I see you have received my letter. Have you it with
you?'

"'Yes, I know it by heart, I have read it so many times. "My
friend," it is written there, "I have promised to give you the key
to the Caballah, if I ever find the opportunity to do so. Although
I am not always in the habit of fulfilling my vows, I am ready to
fulfil this one, if you will wait for me in the evening of October
8, in Prague, on the old Moldau bridge, under the statue of
Nepomucenus." Then follows your name.'

"'Yes, that is correct. Have you not yet given up your desire?'

"'Less than ever before! You would render science an invaluable
service.'

"'Listen, doctor, bend down a little over the rail; that of which
we speak must not be heard even by the waves of the Moldau, if we
wish to remain alive.'

"The young scientist looked in astonishment at his comrade, but did
as he desired.

"'Three years ago, in Rome, when I promised to acquaint you with
the mysteries of the Caballah, I did it more for the sake of
boasting of a power and authority which, in reality, I did not
possess. Although I had studied for some time the traditions of my
nation, rather out of curiosity than because of the love of
knowledge, I knew very well that I could hardly penetrate the
corridor of those mysteries which I am still regarding as the
sophistry and roguishness of exalted minds, invented for the
purpose of holding fools in fear and subordination. But several
accidental discoveries, made by me since then, have changed my
views and have aroused in me a sense of curiosity.

"'You know, notwithstanding our brief acquaintance, that I am not
the type of man who would abandon a clue or a conceived plan. What
has caused me to make you my companion in satisfying my
curiosity--that does not concern you. It is enough that now we have
an opportunity to satisfy our mutual desire, and all depends on
whether you will agree to accept the conditions upon which I can
make you a partner in my investigation.'

"'If these are not against honor and conscience.'

"'In this respect you have nothing to risk, you are rather risking
something else--your life. Do you feel that you are capable of
facing a serious danger?'

"'For the sake of science, yes!'

"'Very well, in that case I must tell you that I will lead you to a
place which we will not leave alive, if our presence is discovered.
The slightest suspicion that we were uninvited witnesses of the
secret will bring upon us persecution which will kill us sooner or
later.'

"'You are whetting my curiosity, signor!'

"'That is all I wanted to tell you. The other thing--you know that
I am a Jew by birth. Although the Jews have driven me from their
midst and cursed me according to their custom and traditions
because I adopted Christianity,--still I have my own reasons for
stipulating a condition--your word of honor that you will be silent
about all you will see and hear, until I authorize you to speak.'

"'I swear by my honor.'

"'Very well. You will recall in your investigations of the Caballah
that in the mysterious books mention is made of a meeting of the
heads or chosen ones of the nation,--a meeting which takes place
from time to time?'

"'Yes, in the Yezire it is said very definitely, and if I
understood correctly, such meetings take place every hundred
years.'

"'Yes. The last meeting took place in 1760 and you recall that
shortly afterward the movement of Judaism started. It is now 1787
years since the destruction of Jerusalem and this year is
designated for a meeting of the Cabalistic Sanhedrin. This is the
day of the meeting; the place is this city. I want to be present at
this meeting in spite of the danger and am ready to take you along
with me.'

"'But will it not be dishonest to listen, will it not be an
unlawful interference with other people's secrets?'

"'Per Bacco! as we Italians say; with such hesitations you must
abandon once for all the idea of fulfilling your desire. Or do you
think that the people who guard the secret of the Caballah will
bring it to you on a tray? As far as I am concerned, I shall
discover the secret, at any cost!'

"After reflecting a few minutes, the scientist came to a decision.

"'I shall go with you, come what may!'

"'Very well. Now we have agreed. Let us go,--there is no time to
lose.'"

* * * * *

"The tower clock of the town-hall struck eleven. At the first
stroke a key clicked in the lock of the cemetery gates. Then
followed profound silence which indicated that the cemetery was
open. The lights in the Jewish houses were gradually dying out, and
at the same time the sounds of the merry feasting also subsided.

"Mysterious silence reigned in that terrible place.

"The gates creaked softly; the rustling of long coats was heard,
touching the stones and shrubbery; finally a vague white figure
appeared and slipped by like a shadow along the pathways.

"This figure knelt before one of the tombstones; three times it
touched the stone with its forehead and softly whispered a prayer.

"Along the path leading from the gates came an old man, bent,
limping, sighing and coughing. He came over to the ancient
tombstone, and lowered himself on his knees near the white figure
that had entered before him, and he, too, whispered a prayer.

"Then heavy footsteps were heard, and a tall, impressive figure
appeared on the road, clad in a white mantle, and he, too, fell
down on his knees, as though unwillingly, in front of the
tombstone.

"Thirteen times this was repeated. Thirteen old men came over to
the tombstone. The doctor counted them, but he could not understand
whether they were alive or dead. A shiver crept down his back, his
heart began to beat faster from fright. He involuntarily recalled
the terrible legend of the Day of Atonement in the tenth month,
Tishri, in the synagogue of Posen when, during the prayer of Kol
Nidrei, the congregation kept growing larger and larger; unknown
people, pushing one another, wrapped in prayer shawls, came in, one
hundred after another, until the terrified Rabbi lifted his hand as
if to curse and exclaimed: 'He who has flesh in his cheeks, let him
throw off the prayer shawl!' Hundreds remained covered, and when
the prayer shawls were torn away from them, all saw the skulls of
the dead who had come out of the graves to celebrate the Day of
Atonement with the rest of the congregation.

"As there, it seemed to him that the prayer shawls had fallen off
the heads of the praying old men, and a row of dead skulls
appeared. At that moment the clock struck twelve. A sharp metallic
sound rang out on the grave, after which a blue flame appeared and
illumined the thirteen kneeling figures.

"'I greet you, Roshe beth Aboth (heads) of the twelve tribes of
Israel,' announced a dull voice.

"'We greet you, son of the accursed.'

"'A hundred years have already passed. Where have the Nesiyim
(princes of the tribes) come from?'

"'From the lands where the nation of Adonai has been scattered by
the orders of our forefathers.'

"'Are you ready to fulfil the promise during the coming century?'

"'We are ready!'

"'Then say, whose representatives are you, and where do you come
from? Tribe of Judah?'

"'From Amsterdam,' replied a strong, loud voice.

"'Tribe of Benjamin?'

"'Toledo!' came the dull answer.

"'Tribe of Levi?'

"'Worms!'

"'Tribe of Manasseh?'

"'Budapest!'

"'Tribe of Gad?'

"'Cracow!'

"'Tribe of Simeon?'

"'Rome!'

"'Tribe of Zebulun?'

"'Paris!'

"'Tribe of Dan?'

"'Constantinople!'

"'Tribe of Asher?'

"'London!'

"'Tribe of Issachar?'

"The answer came in a faint voice and could not be heard
distinctly.

"'Tribe of Naphtali?'

"'Prague!'

"'And I am the representative of the unfortunate and exiles,' said
the man who asked the questions in a dull voice. 'I am myself
wandering about all over the world in order that I may unite you
for the sake of the cause of redemption which has been promised to
the seed of Abraham and which was taken from them by the sons of
him who was crucified! Who is here of the house of Aaron, let him
rise, scrutinize the heads of the tribes and gather the council.'

"The man who was the first to arrive rose and then seated himself
upon the tombstone. One by one the others came over to him and
whispered in his ear a seven-syllabled word, and each time he
nodded in approval. After that all returned to their former
places. 'Brethren,' said the Levite, 'our fathers formed a union
which compels all those chosen as representatives of the tribes to
gather every hundred years at the grave of the great teacher of
Caballah whose doctrines give the chosen ones power on earth and
supremacy over all the descendants of Ishmael. Eighteen hundred
years the struggle has been conducted by the nation of Israel for
supremacy which was promised to Abraham and which was taken away
from us by the Cross. Trampled under foot by our enemies, under the
terror of death and all kinds of humiliation and violence, the
nation of Israel, nevertheless, has not abandoned this struggle,
and as they are scattered all over the earth, the whole earth must
belong to them! Our learned men are conducting this struggle for
hundreds of years; the nation is gradually rising from its fall;
its power is growing and spreading. To us belongs the earthly god,
which was made for us with such sorrow by Aaron in the desert ...
the Golden Calf which the backsliders are worshipping!'

"'We hear!' they whispered on all sides.

"'When all the gold on earth will be ours, the power will go over
to us. Then will be fulfilled the promise made to Abraham. Gold is
the ruler of the earth. Gold is power, reward, pleasure ... all
that human beings fear and desire. This is the mystery of the
Caballa ... the teachings concerning the spirit which rules the
world, and about the future! Eighteen centuries we have belonged to
our enemies. The future belongs to us. For the fifth time in the
course of the thousand-year-old struggle to which we have
consecrated ourselves, those who know of the existence of the
secret union have gathered here to take counsel as to the means
which are afforded us by the sins of our enemies, and each time,
for five hundreds years, a new Sanhedrim, ordered the fiercest
struggle. But, excepting Russia, not a single century has been
crowned with such success as this one. Therefore we may think that
the time for which we are striving is near, and we may say, "The
Future is ours!"'

"'Yes, if persecutions against the Jews will not take place in the
meantime!' pointed out one of the men with a bitter smile.

"'The dark days of such a danger are passed. The success of
so-called civilization among the Christian nations may serve as the
best protection for our endeavors. Before listening to the
individual opinions, let us examine the material means, the pure
capital possessed by the nation of Israel....'

"'But against the three and a half million Jews with their money
there are 265 million enemies in Europe, or rather 500 million
fists,' remarked one of these present.

"'The head will protect us against the fists, as in the past. Labor
is the slave of speculation, and violence is the slave of wisdom.
Who will deny that cunning is the distinctive trait of our nation?

"'Our nation is ostentatious and greedy, arrogant and
pleasure-loving.

"'Where there is light there is also shadow. It is not in vain that
Adonai our God gave his chosen people the tenacity of a snake, the
cunning of a fox, the look of a falcon, the memory of a dog, the
diligence of an ant, and the sociability of a beaver. We were in
captivity on the rivers of Babylon, and have become powerful! Our
temple was destroyed, but we have built a thousand new temples! For
eighteen hundreds years we were slaves; now we have grown head and
shoulders above all other nations.'

"All the twelve pronounced the concluding words--

"'Brethren,' said the Levite, 'the time has come when, in
accordance with the laws of the founder of our union, we must
determine ways and means by which the Jews shall attain their goal
as soon as possible; our experience of a hundred years will help us
in this. We who know must direct and guide the masses which are
blind. We, the builders, will combine the dead stones into a pillar
which must reach the sky.'

"'The Tower of Babel was destroyed by the hand of Him whose name I
dare not pronounce,' said the sceptic.

"'Our structure rests upon the foundation of the promise made to
Abraham. It is your turn to speak, representative of the tribe of
Reuben! By what means will the Jewish nation achieve power and
supremacy over all other nations on earth?'

"A shrill, unpleasant voice then spoke:

"'All the princes and the lands of Europe are at present in debt.
The stock exchange regulates these debts. But such things are done
only by movable capital; therefore all the movable capital must go
over to the hands of the Jews. The foundation for this is already
laid, judging from what we have heard here. If we will be supreme
in the stock exchange, we will attain the same supremacy in the
governments. Therefore it is necessary to facilitate loans in order
to get them into our hands all the more. Wherever possible, we must
take in exchange for capital, mortgages on railroads, taxes, mines,
regalia and domains. Furthermore, the stock exchange is a means for
the transfer of the belongings of the small people to the hands of
the capitalists, by drawing them into stock gambling. Transactions
in securities are a splendid invention of our nation. Although the
stock exchange members cheat one another sometimes, it is the
outsider who always pays in the end.'

"The voice which resounded on the Paris Bourse became silent.

"'Do the _zekenim_ agree with the opinion of our brother?' asked
the Levite.

"A whisper of approbation was the answer to this question.

"'Representative of the tribe of Simeon, it is your turn now!'

"A serious, dull voice resounded after this order. Each word was
pronounced slowly and thoughtfully:

"'Ownership of land is always the iron-clad, everlasting possession
of every country. This in itself gives power, respect and
influence. Therefore, the Jews should secure the possibility of
acquiring real estate. It will not be hard to accomplish this, if
we acquire movable capital. Therefore it is necessary to facilitate
loans on land. Under the fear of scandal we will destroy land
wealth and minimize its importance. Ownership of land should be
mobilized, if lands are sold as other commodities. The more we help
in the breaking up of estates, the more easily will they fall into
our hands. Under the pretext of relieving the poor classes, it is
necessary to levy all taxes of states and communities on the land
owners. When the land is in our hands, the labor of the Christian
workers and farmers will give us a tenfold income.'

"He who did not belong to any tribe laughed sneeringly.

"'This advice is good, but not new. Ask in Paris and in Vienna, who
owns the houses there?'

"A whisper of approbation was heard again.

"'Tribe of Judah, your turn!'

"The voice that resounded was marked with conviction and reminded
one of the sound of the Thaller.

"'Industry, the power of the burgher, which hinders the Jewish
nation, must be paralyzed even as agriculture. The manufacturer
should be no better than an ordinary worker. The means to
accomplish this may be the unlimited freedom of trade. The
manufacturer will take the place of the artisan as he does not have
to work, only to speculate. The children of Israel can adapt
themselves to all branches of work. Their capital and dexterity
will be the substitute for right. Transforming the artisans into
our factory workers, we will be in a position to direct the masses
for our political purposes. Whoever resists this system will be
destroyed by competition. The senseless and ungrateful masses will
not support the artisans in this struggle, if commodities are
reduced in price to a certain extent.

"A noisy approbation of the new Sanhedrin showed that the soundness
of this advice had long been appreciated and even applied in
practice.

"'Now it is my turn,' said the representative of Levi--'I speak in
the name of the tribe of Aaron. The natural enemy of the Jews is
the Christian church. Therefore we must try to humiliate it, we
must instill into it free-thinking, scepticism, and conflicts.
Therefore we will, first of all, start a war on the clergy, we will
try to arouse suspicion against it and ridicule it. The main pillar
of the church is the school. Therefore we must gain influence over
the young. Under the guise of progress and the equal rights of all
religions, we will destroy the study of religion in Christian
schools. Then the Jews may become teachers in all schools; then
religion will be taught at home. And as there is little time left
for that, the spirit of religion will gradually decline, and
eventually it will be destroyed altogether. Agitation for the
appropriation of property belonging to the churches and schools,
the transfer of church property to the state, or (what is the same)
into the hands of the Jews, will be our reward!'

"Again approbation followed the words of the man who had spoken.
Nobody contradicted him and he announced:

"'Representative of the tribe of Isaachar, it is your turn!'

"Now an old, trembling voice spoke:

"'Let our brethren strive for the abolition of armed force. The
coarse military art is not for the sons of Israel. Not everyone can
be a Gideon! The army is for the defense of the throne and the
school of narrow patriotism. Not the sword, but reason and money
must rule. Therefore at every opportune instance, it is necessary
to help the downfall of the military class, to arouse suspicion in
the masses against it, and to incite animosity against one another.
It is enough for the soldiers to do police duty and to protect the
wealthy from those who have nothing.'

"'The Lion of Judah has spoken,' said the stranger angrily. 'David
conquered Goliath. The nations will soon wear long coats instead of
military armour. A slap on the bourse will be equivalent to a lost
battle.'

"It looked as though a storm was rising against this arrogant
sarcasm, but one word from the eldest restored them all to calm.

"'This is the son of Baal! He may say whatever he pleases. But he
will do whatever is decided by the council of the tribes.'

"'The tribe of Zebulun may speak!'

"A dull voice, like a storm in the distance, said as follows:

"'Our nation is conservative to its very root, and clings fast to
what is old. But our interest demands that we participate, or,
rather, direct the movements of nations. It is indisputable that
ours is a time of many reforms, whose main purpose is the
amelioration of the material condition of the needy classes. But
for this the propertied classes must sacrifice their capitals.
Capital is in the hands of the Jews. Therefore they must outwardly
take part in the movement and try to divert it from social and
political reforms. The masses themselves are blind and foolish, and
permit the shouters to rule over them. Who shouts more loudly and
more shrewdly than the Jews? Therefore our nation has been the
first on the platform, in the press, and in all Christian
communities! The more communities and meetings, the more
dissatisfaction and idleness. From this it follows inevitably that
the people grow poorer, that they become subjected to those who
have money, leading to the enrichment of the latter. Besides, every
movement makes us richer, for the smaller people are ruined and are
contracting debts. The unstability of the foundation increases our
power and our influence. Therefore the support of every kind of
dissatisfaction, every revolution, increases our capital and brings
us nearer to our goal.'

"This terrible speech was followed by prolonged silence. Every
member of this secret Sanhedrim seemed to be thinking of its
terrible meaning. The son of Baal again laughed hoarsely.

"'Are you afraid of blood? It isn't yours.'

"Then one member of the gathering expressed his approval, and all
others followed his example.

"'Son of the tribe of Dan, your turn!'

"The answer bore the stamp of a Jew of the lower order:

"'Every business in which there is speculation and profit must be
in our hands. That is our natural right. First of all, we must get
control of the traffic in liquor, butter, wool, and bread. Then we
shall have in our hands agriculture, farming. We can prepare bread
everywhere, and if dissatisfaction and want should arise, we can
easily throw the blame on the government. Petty wares, which give a
great deal of trouble and yield very little profit, we can leave in
the hands of the Christians. Let them work hard and suffer as the
chosen people suffered for several centuries.'

"This speech scarcely needed approval. The Levite called on the
next one.

"'Tribe of Naphtali?'

"The following words rang out shrilly and with assurance:

"'All governmental positions should be open to us. Once this
principle is established, the cunning and flattery of the Jewish
employees will help them to penetrate even there, and they will
have real influence. I am speaking only of the posts which bring
honor, power, and pre-eminence. Positions which require work and
knowledge may remain for the Christians. Therefore the Jews may
neglect positions of secondary importance. Justice is very
important for us, the law is a great step forward. This occupation
is suited to the cunning and skill of our people and gives us
influence and power against our natural enemies. Why can't a Jew be
Minister of Education as he has already been more than once
Minister of Finance?'

"'Remember the scaffold of Haman, the fate of Shushan and Leopold!'
said a warning voice.

"'Why does the raven croak about the past which is so distant and
almost forgotten? More than one of our people has been a Minister
in France and respected by the King himself.'

"Approval was expressed in a tone of satisfied pride; then the
orator continued:

"'Our people must be among the legislators of the governments. The
laws of the goyim against the children of Israel must be abolished.
We will maintain the laws of our Fathers. We need no longer any
laws that would protect us. No. We must concern ourselves about
laws that will give us privileges. A mild law respecting
bankruptcy, promulgated in the interests of humanity, would be a
golden mountain in our hands. First of all we must see to it that
the law regarding usury is abolished in all countries under the
pretext that money would thereby become cheaper. Money is just such
a commodity as others, and the law should give us the right to
regulate its price according to our desire.'

"'Now is the turn for the tribe of Benjamin.'

"'What can I add to the counsel of such wise men? The Jew should
also make use of honors, and should be at the head of all
organizations that may give him honor without risks, and he should
engage in science and the arts which are more adapted to the
character of our people and which we can master more easily. We can
become good actors and philosophers, because there is room for
speculation in these domains. In the arts our people will look
after the reception and will burn incense to ourselves. In science
we will take up medicine and philosophy. These afford opportunities
for theories and speculation. A physician penetrates the secrets of
families and holds their lives in his hands.'

"'Tribe of Asher, your turn!'

"'We must demand free marriage between Jews and Christians. Israel
will only be the gainer, even though there be an admixture of
impure blood to a certain degree. Our sons and daughters will marry
into renowned and powerful Christian families. We give money and
thus have influence. The Christian relationship cannot have a bad
influence on us, while we can exert a strong influence over them.
That is one thing. Another thing is that we respect the Jewish
woman and we enjoy the forbidden pleasure with the women of our
enemies. We have money, and for money we can get everything. A Jew
must never make a daughter of his own race his mistress. If he
should desire to sin against the Seventh Commandment he should
content himself with Christian girls.'

"'What is the use of employing the beautiful girls of the goyim in
our stores if not for this?' angrily interposed the representative
of the evil spirit. 'Whoever will not want to satisfy our desire
will get no work, consequently no bread. Go to the large cities and
you will see that they are not waiting for your wise men's orders.
Substitute a contract for sacrament in the marriage of Christians
and their wives and daughters will come to you still more readily.'

"The terrible cynicism of these words, touching such a delicate
subject, must have produced a profound impression, especially since
the views of the ancient doctrines were so strict on the topic of
moral purity.

"'What does the law say?' asked one of the twelve.

"'For adultery with a woman of our own people--death; for seducing a
girl--a fine, if she was not betrothed; if she was betrothed--death.
But the law is not so rigorous with regard to one who lives with a
slave--her body belongs to her master.'

"'Are the goyim better than our slaves?'

"This explanation was followed by a whisper of approval.

"'The tribe of Manasseh may speak now!'

"The last of the orators lifted his hand and during his speech he
raised and lowered it, as if desiring thus to make a stronger
impression by his words. His voice was hoarse and unpleasant, but
he spoke skilfully and with assurance.

"'If gold is the first power in the world, the press is the second.
Of what value are all the opinions and advice given here without
the aid of the press? We will attain our aim only when the press is
in our hands. Our people must direct the daily publications. We are
cunning, shrewd, and we possess money which we know how to utilize
for our purposes. We need great political newspapers which mold
public opinion--criticism, the literature of the streets and the
stage. In this way we will crowd out the Christians step by step,
and will dictate to the world what it should believe in, what it
should respect, and what it should curse. We will repeat the
sorrowful cry of Israel and the complaints against the persecutions
which are directed against us. Then, even though each individual
may be against us, the masses, in their stupidity, will always be
for us. With the press in our hands, we can turn wrong into right,
dishonesty into honesty. We can shake all foundations, and separate
families. We can destroy faith in all that our enemies, until now,
have believed. We can ruin credits and arouse passions. We can
declare war; we can award fame or disgrace. We can uplift or ruin
talent.

"'When Israel shall have gold and the press in his hands, we will
be able to ask: "On what day will it please you to _put on Atarah_
(crown) which belongs to us by right, to erect Shisse (?) and
extend the Shebet (sceptre) over the nations of the earth?"'

"A noisy greeting followed these words and the agitated men who
listened hardly understood for some time what was being said at the
meeting. At last the voice of the Levite called upon all to be
silent.

"'The Roshe-Bate-Aboth of the twelve tribes have uttered words of
wisdom. These words will be as pillars for the times to come, if
the son of him "who has not rest" will write these words upon his
memory and spread the seeds among the nation of Israel in order
that it may grow to be a mighty tree. They will be the sword with
which Israel will strike down his enemies. Our posterity must share
among themselves happiness, wealth and power as it shared
misfortune and dangers. They must help one another. Wherever one of
them places his foot, he must drag another--his brother--along with
him. If one of them is unfortunate, others must help him, if he but
lives according to the law of our nation.

"'He who was in prison for ten years, may become a rich man to whom
princes will bow, if only our people will not forsake him. Where
everybody is against us, all will be for us. After forty years of
wandering in the desert, the hand of Jehovah brought us to power in
the land of Canaan; the same hand will lead us after forty-five
times forty years from our misfortune and miseries to rule over
lands which are forty-five times vaster than Canaan. If Israel
shall obey the decision here adopted by the Sanhedrin of the
Caballah, our grandchildren, coming a hundred years hence to the
grave of the founder of our union, will announce to him that they
have indeed become the princes of the world and that the promise
made to the nation of Israel has been fulfilled. Other nations will
become his slaves! Renew our oath, sons of the golden calf, and go
to all lands of the world.'

"The blue flame flared up brightly upon the grave of the Rabbi;
each of the thirteen threw upon the tomb a stone which each carried
under his cloak.

"It seemed to the doctor that on the top of the tombstone, in the
bluish flame, there appeared a monstrous golden figure of an
animal.

"Then he heard the same metallic sound that he had heard when the
light first appeared. Then impenetrable darkness covered the
cemetery.

"The white figures again slipped by among the tombstones. The gates
creaked softly.

"The clock in the tower struck two past midnight. The last of the
mysterious visitors knocked at the window and a hoarse voice said
(as though the speaker knew that the watchman was not asleep):

"'Close the house of life, watchman of those who are awaiting the
resurrection, and may your lips be sealed with the seal of Solomon
for a hundred years.'

"The scholar still lay motionless; he was afraid to stir; all he
had heard had made upon him such a dreadful impression.

"A noise near him indicated that his companion was rising.

"'To concentrate in their hands all the capital of the nations of
all lands; to secure possession of all the land, railroads, mines,
houses; to be at the head of all organizations, to occupy the
highest governmental posts, to paralyze commerce and industry
everywhere, to seize the press, to direct legislation, public
opinion and national movements--and all for the purpose of
subjugating all nations on earth to their power! No! I shall
struggle against the golden calf and shall smash it to pieces as
Moses smashed it in the desert.'

"'What we heard is a threat against all society. Here is my hand, I
will be your comrade in this struggle against the power of gold.'

"The Italian shook his head, but accepted the extended hand. 'No,'
he said, 'I want to act alone. There is a force which, if properly
directed, is not weaker than gold. That force is poverty and her
companion, labor. I shall call them out and lead them into battle.
Proud Israel! Beware! I shall put against you the _Artel_ (union)
and Labor.'

"'And I,' said the scholar, with animation, 'all that is lofty and
noble,--science, idealism, faith--I shall lead these against this
materialism.'

"His comrade laughed:

"'Your ideals will crumble as clay striking against metal. Only the
forces of poverty and hunger can be the fighters that will defeat
the golden calf. Our ways part here; you will go one way, and I
another. My promise is fulfilled; but remember your vow--be silent
as to all that you have heard and seen here!'"

This is the weird, fantastic "thriller" from which sprang the Protocols. It is the first stage. According to this story not only were there present at a secret meeting in the Prague Cemetery, the representatives of the twelve tribes of Israel, ten of which totally disappeared nearly twenty-five centuries ago, but also the son of "the accursed one," the Devil, was there, making side-remarks from time to time. His assigned function was that of spreading the decisions of the Wise Men of Zion among the Jews in order that they conquer the world.

Dr. Herman L. Strack, professor of theology at the University of Berlin, one of the foremost Christian authorities on theological and religious literature, commenting on this Goedsche-Retcliffe concoction, says that this tale of the ghostly convocation in the Jewish cemetery at Prague, discloses no real knowledge of Judaism, that the reference to mixed marriages indicates gross ignorance of actual Jewish thought, and that the Hebrew words supposed to have been employed by the spokesmen for the various tribes appear to have been borrowed from a dictionary. He also points to Goedsche-Retcliffe's story and the "Rabbi's Speech" about to be mentioned as the sources of the Protocols.