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 friend, have the biggest army. I do everything like a soldier, gentlemen: downright frankly and openly. If there's to be a religion, then it's to be our Orthodox religion."

"But, gentlemen, that is not the question," cried Sir W. O'Patterney excitedly. "That isn't what we're here for!"

"Quite right," said Dr. Wurm. "We have to agree upon a common line of conduct with regard to God."

"Which one?" suddenly asked the Chinese plenipotentiary, Mr. Kei, lifting at last his wrinkled eyelids.

"Which one?" repeated Dr. Wurm in astonishment. "Why, surely there's only one."

"Our Japanese God," smiled Baron Yanato blandly.

"The Orthodox Greek God, batushko, and none other," contradicted the General, as red in the face as a turkey-cock.

"Buddha," Mr. Kei said, and again dropped his lids, becoming the very counterpart of a dried-up mummy.

Sir W. O'Patterney stood up agitatedly. "Gentlemen," he said, "kindly follow me."

Thereupon the diplomats again proceeded to the council chamber. At eight o'clock in the evening His Excellency, General Buchtin, rushed out, purple in