ust be cheerful. But this was only the thing to be acted, the play
to be played, by me the player. I must be solemn too,--silent as the
churchyard, mournful as the grave,--because of the truth. Why was I
thus driven to act a part that was false? On the brow of the hill we
met a concourse of people both young and old, and I was glad to see
that the latter had come out to greet us. But by degrees the crowd
became so numerous that the carriage was stopped in its progress; and
rising up, I motioned to those around us to let us pass. We became,
however, more firmly enveloped in the masses, and at last I had to
ask aloud that they would open and let us go on. "Mr President," said
one old gentleman to me, a tanner in the city, "there's an English
ship of war come into the harbour. I think they've got something to
say to you."

"Something to say to me! What can they have to say to me?" I replied,
with all the dignity I could command.

"We'll just stay and see;--we'll just wait a few minutes," said
another elder. He was a bar-keeper with a red nose, and as he spoke
he took up a place in front of the horses. It was in vain for me to
press the coachman. It would have been indecent to do so at such
a moment, and something at any rate was due to the position of
Crasweller. He remained speechless in the carriage; but I thought
that I could see, as I glanced at his face, that he took a strong
interest in the proceedings. "They're going to begin to come up the
hill, Mr Bunnit," said the bar-keeper to the tanner, "as soon as ever
they're out of their boats."

"God bless the old flag for ever and ever!" said Mr Bunnit. "I knew
they wouldn't let us deposit any one."

Thus their secret was declared. These old men,--the tanner and
whisky-dealer, and the like,--had sent home to England to get
assistance against their own Government! There had always been a
scum of the population,--the dirty, frothy, meaningless foam at
the top,--men like the drunken old bar-keeper, who had still clung
submissive to the old country,--men who knew nothing of progress
and civilisation,--who were content with what they ate and drank,
and chiefly with the latter. "Here they come. God bless their gold
bands!" said he of the red nose. Yes;--up the hill they came, three
gilded British naval officers surrounded by a crowd of Britannulans.

Crasweller heard it all, but did not move from his place. But he
leaned forward, and he bit his lip, and I saw that his rig