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these things will be changed。〃 Ostrog〃



〃That is our hope。 That is the hope of the world。

But Ostrog will not do it。 He is a politician。 To him

it seems things must be like this。 He does not mind。

He takes it for granted。 All the rich; all the influential; 

all who are happy; come at last to take these miseries 

for granted。 They use the people in their politics; 

they live in ease by their degradation。 But you

you who come from a happier ageit is to you the

people look。 To you。〃



He looked at her face。 Her eyes were bright with

unshed tears。 He felt a rush of emotion。 For a moment 

he forgot this city; he forgot the race; and all

those vague remote voices; in the immediate humanity

of her beauty。



〃But what am I to do? 〃 he said with his eyes upon

her。



〃Rule;〃 she answered; bending towards him and

speaking in a low tone。 〃Rule the world as it has

never been ruled; for the good and happiness of men。

For you might rule ityou could rule it。



〃The people are stirring。 All over the world the

people are stirring。 It wants but a wordbut a

word from youto bring them all together。 Even

the middle sort of people are restless unhappy。



〃They are not telling you the things that are 

happening。 The people will not go back to their 

drudgerythey refuse to be disarmed。 Ostrog has

awakened something greater than he dreamt ofhe

has awakened hopes。〃



His heart was beating fast。 He tried to seem judicial; 

to weigh considerations。



〃They only want their leader;〃 she said。



〃And then? 〃



〃You could do what you would;the world is

yours。〃



He sat; no longer regarding her。 Presently he

spoke。〃 The old dreams; and the thing I have

dreamt; liberty; happiness。 Are they dreams? 

Could one manone man? 〃 His voice sank and ceased。



〃Not one man; but all mengive them only a

leader to speak the desire of their hearts。〃



He shook his head; and for a time there was silence。



He looked up suddenly; and their eyes met。 〃I

have not your faith;〃 he said。〃 I have not your youth。

I am here with power that mocks me。 Nolet me 

speak。 I want to donot rightI have not the 

strength for thatbut something rather right than 

wrong。 It will bring no millenium; but I am resolved

now that I will rule。 What you have said has

awakened me。 。 。 。 You are right。 Ostrog must

know his place。 And I will learn。 。 。 。 One

thing I promise you。 This Labour slavery shall end。〃



〃And you will rule?〃



〃Yes。 Provided。 There is one thing。〃



〃 

Yes? 〃



〃 

That you will help me。〃



〃I!a girl!〃



〃Yes。 Does it not occur to you I am absolutely

alone? 〃



She started and for an instant her eyes had pity。

〃Need you ask whether I will help you?〃 she said。



She stood before him; beautiful; worshipful; and her

enthusiasm and the greatness of their theme was like

a great gulf fixed between them。 To touch her; to

clasp her hand; was a thing beyond hope。 〃Then

I will rule indeed;〃 he said slowly。 〃I will rule…〃

He paused。 〃With you。〃



There came a tense silence; and then the beating

a clock striking the hour。 She made him no answer。

Graham rose。



Even now;〃 he said; 〃Ostrog will be waiting。 〃He

hesitated; facing her。 〃When I have asked him certain

questions。 There is much I do not know。 It may

be; that I will go to see with my own eyes the things

of which you have spoken。 And when I return?〃



〃I shall know of your going and coming。 I will

wait for you here again。〃



He stood for a moment regarding her。



〃I knew;〃 she said; and stopped。



He waited; but she said no more。 They regarded

one another steadfastly; questioningly; and then he

turned from her towards the Wind Vane office。



CHAPTER XIX



OSTROG S POINT OF VIEW



Graham found Ostrog waiting to give a formal account 

of his day's stewardship。 On previous occasions he

had passed over this ceremony as speedily as possible;

in order to resume his aerial experiences; but now he

began to ask quick short questions。 He was very

anxious to take up his empire forthwith。 Ostrog

brought flattering reports of the development of

affairs abroad。 In Paris and Berlin; Graham

perceived that he was saying; there had been

trouble; not organised resistance indeed; but 

insubordinate proceedings。 〃After all these years;〃

said Ostrog; when Graham pressed enquiries;

〃the Commune has lifted its head again。 That

is the real nature of the struggle; to be explicit。〃

But order had been restored in these cities。 Graham;

the more deliberately judicial for the stirring emotions

he felt; asked if there had been any fighting。 〃A

little;〃 said Ostrog。 〃In one quarter only。 But the

Senegalese division of our African agricultural police

the Consolidated African Companies have a very well

drilled policewas ready; and so were the aeroplanes。

We expected a little trouble in the continental cities;

and in America。 But things are very quiet in America。

They are satisfied with the overthrow of the Council

For the time。〃





〃 Why should you expect trouble?〃 asked Graham

abruptly。



〃There is a lot of discontentsocial discontent。〃



〃The Labour Company?〃



〃You are learning;〃 said Ostrog with a touch of

surprise。 〃Yes。 It is chiefly the discontent with the

Labour Company。 It was that discontent supplied

the motive force of this overthrowthat and your

awakening。〃



〃Yes? 〃



Ostrog smiled。 He became explicit。 〃We had to

stir up their discontent; we had to revive the old ideals

of universal happinessall men equalall men

happyno luxury that everyone may not share

ideas that have slumbered for two hundred years。 You

know that? We had to revive these ideals; impossible

as they arein order to overthrow the Council。 And

now〃



〃Well? 〃



〃Our revolution is accomplished; and the Council

is overthrown; and people whom we have stirred up 

remain surging。 There was scarcely enough 

fighting 。 。 。 We made promises; of course。 It is

extraordinary how violently and rapidly this vague

out…of…date humanitarianism has revived and spread。

We who sowed the seed even; have been astonished。

In Paris; as I saywe have had to call in a little 

external help。〃



〃And here? 〃



〃There is trouble。 Multitudes will not go back

to work。 There is a general strike。 Half the 

factories are empty and the people are swarming in the

Ways。 They are talking of a Commune。 Men in silk

and satin have been insulted in the streets。 The blue

canvas is expecting all sorts of things from you。。。。

Of course there is no need for you to trouble。 We

are setting the Babble Machines to work with counter

suggestions in the cause of law and order。 We must

keep the grip tight; that is all。〃



Graham thought。 He perceived a way of asserting

himself。 But he spoke with restraint。



〃Even to the pitch of bringing a negro police;〃 he

said。



〃They are useful;〃 said Ostrog。 〃They are fine

loyal brutes; with no wash of ideas in their heads

such as our rabble has。 The Council should have had

them as police of the Ways; and things might have been

different。 Of course; there is nothing to fear except

rioting and wreckage。 You can manage your own

wings now; and you can soar away to Capri if there

is any smoke or fuss。 We have the pull of all the

great things; the aeronauts are privileged and rich; the

closest trades union in the world; and so are the 

engineers of the wind vanes。 We have the air; and the 

mastery of the air is the mastery of the earth。 No one of

any ability is organising against us。 They have no

leadersonly the sectional leaders of the secret

society we organised before your very opportune

awakening。 Mere busy bodies and sentimentalists they

are and bitterly jealous of each other。 None of them is

man enough for a central figure。 The only trouble will

be a disorganised upheaval。 To be frankthat may

happen。 But it won't interrupt your aeronautics。

The days when the People could make revolutions are

past。〃



〃I suppose they are;〃 said Graham。 〃I suppose

they are。〃 He mused。 〃This world of yours has

been full of surprises to me。 In the old days we

dreamt of a wonderful democratic life; of a time when

all men would be equal and happy。〃



Ostrog looked at him steadfastly。 〃The day of

democracy is past;〃 he said。 〃Past for ever。 That

day began with the bowmen of Crecy; it ended when

marching infantry; when common men in masses

ceased to win the battles of the world; when costly

cannon; great ironclads; and strategic railways became

the means of power。 To…day is the day of wealth。

Wealth now is power as it never was power before

it commands earth and sea and sky。 All power is for

those who can handle wealth。。。。 You must

accept facts; and these are facts。 The world for the

Crowd! The Crowd as Ruler! Even in your days

that creed had been tried and condemned。 To…day it


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