“Can you see him bustling up?” he answered with a laugh; “organizing himself into a body, and working the thing out from the point of view of the public weal?  I’ll tell you what nine-tenths of him would do:  grow just as much or little as suited his own purposes; and then go to sleep.  And Protection would be his security against ever being awakened.”

“I’m afraid you don’t like him,” Joan commented.

“He will be all right in his proper place,” he answered:  “as the servant of the public:  told what to do, and turned out of his job if he doesn’t do it.  My scheme does depend upon Protection.  You can tell him that.  But this time, it’s going to be Protection for the people.”

They were at the far end of the corridor; and the few others still promenading were some distance away.  She had not delivered the whole of her message.  She crossed to a seat, and he followed her.  She spoke with her face turned away from him.

“You have got to consider the cost of refusal,” she said.  “His offer wasn’t help or neutrality:  it was help or opposition by every means in his power.  He left me in no kind of doubt as to that.  He’s not used to being challenged and he won’t be squeamish.  You will have the whole of his Press against you, and every other journalistic and political influence that he possesses.  He’s getting a hold upon the working classes.  The Sunday Post has an enormous sale in the manufacturing towns; and he’s talking of starting another.  Are you strong enough to fight him?”

She very much wanted to look at him, but she would not.  It seemed to her quite a time before he replied.

“Yes,” he answered, “I’m strong enough to fight him.  Shall rather enjoy doing it.  And it’s time that somebody did.  Whether I’m strong enough to win has got to be seen.”

She turned and looked at him then.  She wondered why she had ever thought him ugly.

“You can face it,” she said:  “the possibility of all your life’s work being wasted?”

“It won’t be wasted,” he answered.  “The land is there.  I’ve seen it from afar and it’s a good land, a land where no man shall go hungry.  If not I, another shall lead the people into it.  I shall have prepared the way.”

She liked him for that touch of exaggeration.  She was so tired of the men who make out all things little, including themselves and their own work.  After all, was it exaggeration?  Might he not have been chosen to lead the people out of bondage to a land where there should be no more fear.

“You’re not angry with me?” he asked.  “I haven’t been rude, have I?”

“Abominably rude,” she answered, “you’ve defied my warnings, and treated my embassy with contempt.”  She turned to him and their eyes met.  “I should have despised you, if you hadn’t,” she added.

There was a note of exultation in her voice; and, as if in answer, something leapt into his eyes that seemed to claim her.  Perhaps it was well that just then the bell rang for a division; and the moment passed.