The decisions seemed charged with consequences to the future of human society; yet the air whispered that the word was not flesh, that it was futile, insignificant, of no effect, dissociated from events; and one felt most strongly the impression, described by Tolstoy in _War and Peace_ or by Hardy in _The Dynasts_, of events marching on to their fated conclusion uninfluenced and unaffected by the cerebrations of Statesmen in Council: _Spirit of the Years_ Observe that all wide sight and self-command Deserts these throngs now driven to demonry By the Immanent Unrecking.

Nought remains But vindictiveness here amid the strong, And there amid the weak an impotent rage.
_Spirit of the Pities_ Why prompts the Will so senseless-shaped a doing?
_Spirit of the Years_ I have told thee that It works unwittingly, As one possessed not judging.
In Paris, where those connected with the Supreme Economic Council, received almost hourly the reports of the misery, disorder, and decaying organization of all Central and Eastern Europe, allied and enemy alike, and learnt from the lips of the financial representatives of Germany and Austria unanswerable evidence, of the terrible exhaustion of their countries, an occasional visit to the hot, dry room in the President's house, where the Four fulfilled their destinies in empty and arid intrigue, only added to the sense of nightmare.

Yet there in Paris the problems of Europe were terrible and clamant, and an occasional return to the vast unconcern of London a little disconcerting.

For in London these questions were very far away, and our own lesser problems alone troubling.

London believed that Paris was making a great confusion of its business, but remained uninterested.