That, too, had been a shock to him; for, at first sight, it seemed that this priest was the very man he had seen ascend the rostrum two hours before.  It was an extraordinary likeness—­the same young face and white hair.  Mabel, of course, had not noticed it; for she had only seen Felsenburgh at a great distance; and he himself had soon been reassured.  And as for his mother—­it was terrible enough; if it had not been for Mabel there would have been violence done last night.  How collected and reasonable she had been!  And, as for his mother—­he must leave her alone for the present.  By and bye, perhaps, something might be done.  The future!  It was that which engrossed him—­the future, and the absorbing power of the personality under whose dominion he had fallen last night.  All else seemed insignificant now—­even his mother’s defection, her illness—­all paled before this new dawn of an unknown sun.  And in an hour he would know more; he was summoned to Westminster to a meeting of the whole House; their proposals to Felsenburgh were to be formulated; it was intended to offer him a great position.

Yes, as Mabel had said; this was now their work—­to carry into effect the new principle that had suddenly become incarnate in this grey-haired young American—­the principle of Universal Brotherhood.  It would mean enormous labour; all foreign relations would have to be readjusted—­trade, policy, methods of government—­all demanded re-statement.  Europe was already organised internally on a basis of mutual protection:  that basis was now gone.  There was no more any protection, because there was no more any menace.  Enormous labour, too, awaited the Government in other directions.  A Blue-book must be prepared, containing a complete report of the proceedings in the East, together with the text of the Treaty which had been laid before them in Paris, signed by the Eastern Emperor, the feudal kings, the Turkish Republic, and countersigned by the American plenipotentiaries....  Finally, even home politics required reform:  the friction of old strife between centre and extremes must cease forthwith—­there must be but one party now, and that at the Prophet’s disposal....  He grew bewildered as he regarded the prospect, and saw how the whole plane of the world was shifted, how the entire foundation of western life required readjustment.  It was a Revolution indeed, a cataclysm more stupendous than even invasion itself; but it was the conversion of darkness into light, and chaos into order.

He drew a deep breath, and so sat pondering.

* * * * *

Mabel came down to him half-an-hour later, as he dined early before starting for Whitehall.

“Mother is quieter,” she said.  “We must be very patient, Oliver.  Have you decided yet as to whether the priest is to come again?”

He shook his head.

“I can think of nothing,” he said, “but of what I have to do.  You decide, my dear; I leave it in your hands.”