"Well, we have heard before of an ass opening its mouth to prophesy. I
tell you what: on my way here this afternoon I passed the office of
some journal or other in the Strand, where they're exhibiting a copy of
their paper returned to them by a subscriber in Russia. Two columns are
completely obliterated with the censor's lamp-black,--that's how it
reaches the subscriber's hands. As I stood looking at that, my blood
rose to boiling-point! I could have hurrah'd for war with Russia on
that one account alone. That contemptible idiot of a Czar, sitting
there on his ant-hill throne, and bidding Time stand still!"

He laughed long and loud in scornful wrath.

"The Czar can't help it," remarked Glazzard, smiling calmly, "and
perhaps knows nothing about it. The man is a slave of slaves."

"The more contemptible and criminal, then!" roared Denzil. "If a man in
his position can't rule, he should be kicked out of the back-door of
his palace. I have no objection to an autocrat; I think most countries
need one. I should make a good autocrat myself--a benevolent despot."

"We live in stirring times," said the other, with a fine curl of the
lips. "Who knows what destiny has in store for you?"

Quarrier burst into good-natured merriment, and thereupon made ready to
set forth.

When they reached the house by Clapham Common, Denzil opened the door
with his latch-key, talked loud whilst he was removing his overcoat,
and then led the way into the sitting-room. Lilian was there; she rose
and laid down a book; her smile of welcome did not conceal the extreme
nervousness from which she was suffering. Quarrier's genial contempt of
ceremony, as he performed the introduction, allowed it to be seen that
he too experienced some constraint. But the guest bore himself with
perfect grace and decorum. Though not a fluent talker, he fell at once
into a strain of agreeable chat on subjects which seemed likely to be
of interest; his success was soon manifest in the change of Lilian's
countenance. Denzil, attentive to both, grew more genuinely at ease.
When Lilian caught his eye, he smiled at her with warmth of approving
kindness. It must have been a fastidious man who felt dissatisfied with
the way in which the young hostess discharged her duties; timidity led
her into no _gaucherie_, but was rather an added charm among the many
with which nature had endowed her. Speech and manner, though they had
nothing of the conventional adornment that is ga