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story；　or　a　dinner　or　a　bet。　They　wander　about　after

that　is　spent。　Begging　is　prevented　by　the　police　of

the　ways。　Besides；　no　one　gives。　They　come　back

again　the　next　day　or　the　day　afterbrought　back

by　the　same　incapacity　that　brought　them　first。　At

last　their　proper　clothing　wears　out；　or　their　rags　get

so　shabby　that　they　are　ashamed。　Then　they　must

work　for　months　to　get　fresh。　If　they　want　fresh。　A

great　number　of　children　are　born　under　the　

Company's　care。　The　mother　owes　them　a　month　

thereafterthe　children　they　cherish　and　educate　until

they　are　fourteen；　and　they　pay　two　years'　service。

You　may　be　sure　these　children　are　educated　for　the

blue　canvas。　And　so　it　is　the　Company　works。〃



〃And　none　are　destitute　in　the　city？　〃



〃None。　They　are　either　in　blue　canvas　or　in

prison。〃



〃If　they　will　not　work？　〃



〃　Most　people　will　work　at　that　pitch；　and　the　

Company　has　powers。　There　are　stages　of　unpleasantness

in　the　workstoppage　of　foodand　a　man　or

woman　who　has　refused　to　work　once　is　known　by　a

thumb…marking　system　in　the　Company's　offices　all

over　the　world。　Besides；　who　can　leave　the　city

poor？　To　go　to　Paris　costs　two　Lions。　And　for　

insubordination　there　are　the　prisonsdark　and　

miserableout　of　sight　below。　There　are　prisons　now　for

many　things。〃



〃And　a　third　of　the　people　wear　this　blue　canvas？　〃



〃More　than　a　third。　Toilers；　living　without　pride　or

delight　or　hope；　with　the　stories　of　Pleasure　Cities　

ringing　in　their　ears；　mocking　their　shameful　lives；　their

privations　and　hardships。　Too　poor　even　for　the

Euthanasy；　the　rich　man's　refuge　from　life。　Dumb；

crippled　millions；　countless　millions；　all　the　world

about；　ignorant　of　anything　but　limitations　and　

unsatisfied　desires。　They　are　born；　they　are　thwarted　and

they　die。　That　is　the　state　to　which　we　have　come。〃



For　a　space　Graham　sat　downcast。



〃But　there　has　been　a　revolution；〃　he　said。　〃All

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　you