gentleman: 'You
have spoken truly, sir,' as, 'That is false!' for to speak in the former
case would be gratuitous, and in the latter she is excused by the moral
warmth provoking her. Further, dissent rings out finely, and approval
is a feeble murmur--a poor introduction of oneself. Her moral warmth
was ready and waiting for the instigating subject, but of course she was
unconscious of the goad within. Excitement wafted her out of herself, as
we say, or out of the conventional vessel into the waves of her troubled
nature. He had not yet given her an opportunity for dissenting; she was
compelled to agree, dragged at his chariot-wheels in headlong agreement.

His theme was Action; the political advantages of Action; and he
illustrated his view with historical examples, to the credit of the
French, the temporary discredit of the German and English races, who
tend to compromise instead. Of the English he spoke as of a power
extinct, a people 'gone to fat,' who have gained their end in a hoard of
gold and shut the door upon bandit ideas. Action means life to the soul
as to the body. Compromise is virtual death: it is the pact between
cowardice and comfort under the title of expediency. So do we gather
dead matter about us. So are we gradually self-stifled, corrupt. The
war with evil in every form must be incessant; we cannot have peace. Let
then our joy be in war: in uncompromising Action, which need not be the
less a sagacious conduct of the war.... Action energizes men's brains,
generates grander capacities, provokes greatness of soul between
enemies, and is the guarantee of positive conquest for the benefit of
our species. To doubt that, is to doubt of good being to be had for the
seeking. He drew pictures of the healthy Rome when turbulent, the doomed
quiescent. Rome struggling grasped the world. Rome stagnant invited
Goth and Vandal. So forth: alliterative antitheses of the accustomed
pamphleteer. At last her chance arrived.

His opposition sketch of Inaction was refreshed by an analysis of the
character of Hamlet. Then he reverted to Hamlet's promising youth. How
brilliantly endowed was the Prince of Denmark in the beginning!

'Mad from the first!' cried Clotilde.

She produced an effect not unlike that of a sudden crack of thunder. The
three made chorus in a noise of boots on the floor.

Her hero faced about and stood up, looking at her fulgently. Their eyes
engaged without wavering on either side. Brave eyes they