ave her the house at Hickney Heath, and Barney Bill took up
his residence there as a kind of old watch-dog. Meanwhile, introduced
by Frank Ayres and Colonel Winwood, he faced the ordeal of a chill
reception by the House of Commons and took his seat. After that the
nine-days' wonder of the scandal came to an end; the newspapers ceased
talking of it and the general public forgot all about him. He only had
to reckon with his fellow-members and with social forces. His own house
too he had to put in order. He resigned his salary and position as
Organizing Secretary of the Young England League, but as Honorary
Secretary he retained control. To assure his position he applied for
Royal Letters Patent and legalized his name of Savelli, Finally, he
plunged into the affairs of Fish Palaces Limited, and learned the many
mysteries connected with that outwardly unromantic undertaking.

These are facts in Paul's career which his chronicler is bound to
mention. But on Paul's development they exercised but little influence.
He walked now, with open eyes, in a world of real things. The path was
difficult, but he was strong. Darkness lay ahead, but he neither feared
it nor dreamed dreams of brightness beyond. The Vision Splendid had
crystallized into an unconquerable purpose of which he felt the thrill.
Without Sophie Zobraska's love he would have walked on doggedly,
obstinately, with set teeth. He had proved himself fearless, scornful
of the world's verdict. But he would have walked in wintry gloom with a
young heart frozen dead. Now his path was lit by warm sunshine and the
burgeon of spring was in his heart. He could laugh again in his old
joyous way; yet the laughter was no longer that of the boy, but of the
man who knew the place that laughter should hold in a man's life.

On the day when he, as chairman, had first presided over a meeting of
the Board of Directors of Fish Palaces Limited, he went to the Princess
and said: "If I bring with me 'an ancient and fish-like smell, a kind
of, not of the newest, Poor-John,' send me about my business."

She bade him not talk foolishly.

"I'm talking sense," said he. "I'm going through with it. I'm in trade.
I know to the fraction of a penny how much fat ought to be used to a
pound of hake, and I'm concentrating all my intellect on that fraction
of a penny of fat."

"Tu as raison," she said.

"N'est-ce-pas? It's funny, isn't it? I've often told you I once thought
myself the man born to be