“I told you, Miss Holland,” he began eagerly, “that I had high ambitions. You see that I am a man of my word. Of course, the thing that happened was inevitable2. It was written in the book of Fate. Had I not seized the reins—another would. Conditions made my coup3 possible. For the excesses of the Imperial Conquering Army I have no words in palliation. Such is war. Had I known the peril4 of your father and mother, I assure you I would have hurried to their rescue—you believe me when I say this?”
“I am sure of it, now,” she answered promptly5.
“I hurried to Babylon the moment I learned that the defense6 had collapsed7 and our troops were victorious—”
He paused and leaned closer.
“I want to apologize for the unpardonable blunder I made the last time we met in this house. I did not realize then how deeply and madly I love you. In anguish9 I learned it too late. But I have bided10 my time. I have lived to prove my devotion in the hour of your peril and I have only begun what I wish to do for you—”
Again he paused, his eyes devouring11 her pensive12 beauty.
“I had rather win you than rule the Empire that’s mine. I would win as a man woos and wins the one woman he loves—you believe me when I say this?”
“Yes,” was the frank reply. “I believe now that you are in dead earnest.”
“Good. I don’t ask if you love me. I know that you do not. I do not ask you to marry me immediately. I know that I must first win your regard. I prize you all the more for this reason—”
“Man-like, of course,” Virginia interrupted with a smile.
“First, I wish to pay you personally the highest tribute a man in my position can give to any man or women. I am going to offer you the second highest place in the Empire next to mine. Your fortune has disappeared in the wreck13 of war. You shall rebuild it tenfold through the work I shall place in your hands. My first ambition now is really to pacify14 the mind of the States. It can be done through our women.
“I appeal to your reason. Here is the situation. The last hope of successful rebellion has been stamped out. The millions of America, completely disarmed15, are helpless to resist our army of occupation. I wish, not only to complete the crushing of the last hope of insurrection; it is my ambition to convince the people that the central monarchical16 and aristocratic form of government is the only natural order of life and therefore a divine law.
“The quick intuitions of women have been always more open to this truth than the more brutal17 and anarchistic18 male mind. Women have always been the bulwark19 of aristocracy and imperial monarchy20. Man is an anarchist—woman a royalist by instinct.
“The American democracy was only an accident of time and space. The oceans are now the King’s highway and he owns them by right of eminent21 domain22. Democracy can never survive this bringing of the ends of the earth together. Democracy cannot live because when brought face to face with the monarchical form it is not worthy23 to live. The United States of America gave the human race the one supreme24 example of a weak, corrupt25 and contemptible26 government. The like of it was never known before in the history of man.
“Democracy is a disease—a form of crowd egomania which drives millions of people mad with the insane delusion27 that they have been called of God to do something for which they are utterly28 unfitted.
“All government worthy of the name must be conducted by a few brilliant minds—divine leaders—presided over by a supreme leader whom we call emperor or king. This is true in so-called democracies. The people only pretend to govern—imagine that they govern. They do not. A few master minds and brutal wills do it for them. Hence the system of bosses whose foul29 record we have ended forever.
“No nation can have an art or literature unless monarchical and aristocratic—America has never had a literature. It will have one only when its conscious life is reincarnated30 in the soul of a sovereign who takes his crown from God, not man.
“The people of this country were never fit to govern themselves. They got the kind of government they deserved. In Central Europe government has long been reduced to a science. Their cities are clean—their life as orderly as the movement of the stars.
“The monarchical form of government only can answer the questions of Socialism. Germany did this a generation ago. When the world-war came the Socialists31 were as loyal to the Emperor as the proudest prince of the blood.
“The conquest of America has been the best thing that could have happened. Its battles were of minor32 importance. Had not a powerful Imperial government come to our rescue we would have been deluged33 in blood by a second French Revolution within this generation.
“The noblest minds in this country have felt this for years. They have gradually been turning in disgust from our corrupt legislatures, our corrupt courts, our corrupt municipalities, our rotten boroughs34, our corrupt Congress. I tell you this to show you that I have been led by no weak or vulgar ambition into a betrayal of the liberties of a people. I believe in what I have done—believe in it with every ounce of my manhood. We owe the progress of the human race to aristocracy, not democracy. Democracy is the great leveler of the world—the destructive force that presses humanity downward and backward. Aristocracy is the inspiring power that leads, uplifts, creates and beckons35 onward36 and upward.
“All the achievements of thought and science are by the chosen few. The herd37 merely eats and sleeps and reproduces its kind. But for the pressure from their superiors the masses would all lapse8 to elemental savagery38 within a few brief generations—”
Waldron stopped suddenly and gazed on the placid39 waters of the Hudson.
Virginia watched him with genuine astonishment40. He had revealed a new side of his strong character. She had not dreamed that his philosophy of life had been so logically wrought41. She had not believed since his betrayal of his country that he had a philosophy of life at all.
“You astonish me beyond measure,” she said at last.
He smiled coldly.
“I understand. You did not think me capable of such sweeping42 thoughts or such close reasoning—confess it!”
“It’s true, I didn’t—”
“You know now that I am in earnest in my political ambitions also?”
“I’m thoroughly43 convinced—”
“Good! You are a woman of rare intelligence and high ambitions. It is therefore easy for me to speak, now that you know that I am sincere—”
He held her gaze in a moment’s searching silence.
“I may trust you now I’m sure with a secret that is not a secret if I should be accused. You will know that I mean something very definite when I say that this nation is too great, its resources too exhaustless to remain forever a conquered province of Imperial Europe. Am I not right?”
“At least I hope so,” was the diplomatic reply.
“Exactly,” Waldron answered confidentially44. “In other words the day will come when a political leader of supreme genius will win the utter loyalty45 and confidence of the soldiers who hold these millions in hand. The man who does that will ascend46 a throne in Washington in a palace worthy of a Continental47 Empire washed by two oceans—you understand?”
“I see!” Virginia breathed.
“Remember then, dear young lady, that I am your servant from today. If I have high ambitions and glorious dreams for my people and my country, I dream new glories for you—”
“And the commission you would offer me?” she asked steadily48.
“That you organize the women of America into loyal legions who will sustain the government against the possible forces of anarchy49 and rebellion. If you will consider the offer I will place unlimited50 money at your command. The old régime is gone forever. You can help me now to organize a nobler one on its ruins.”
“And my reward?”
“I shall lay at your feet all that I am and have and ever hope to be. I offer it now without condition if you will accept my hand in marriage—”
“Your commission I accept at once,” was the prompt reply. “If I succeed we shall meet on terms more nearly equal.”
Waldron sprang to his feet, seized her hand and kissed it.
Could we have seen the expression of her white face when his lips touched her flesh he would not have smiled as he led her to the waiting car.
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1
genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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coup
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| n.政变；突然而成功的行动 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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7
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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lapse
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| n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效 | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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bided
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| v.等待，停留( bide的过去式 )；居住；等待；面临 | |
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11
devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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pensive
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| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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pacify
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| vt.使(某人)平静(或息怒)；抚慰 | |
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disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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monarchical
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| adj. 国王的，帝王的，君主的，拥护君主制的 =monarchic | |
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brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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anarchistic
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| 无政府主义的 | |
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bulwark
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| n.堡垒，保障，防御 | |
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monarchy
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| n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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domain
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| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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corrupt
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| v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的 | |
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contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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reincarnated
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| v.赋予新形体，使转世化身( reincarnate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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socialists
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| 社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 ) | |
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32
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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33
deluged
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| v.使淹没( deluge的过去式和过去分词 )；淹没；被洪水般涌来的事物所淹没；穷于应付 | |
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boroughs
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| （尤指大伦敦的）行政区( borough的名词复数 )； 议会中有代表的市镇 | |
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beckons
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的第三人称单数 ) | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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38
savagery
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| n.野性 | |
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39
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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41
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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42
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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43
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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45
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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46
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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47
continental
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| adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的 | |
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48
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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49
anarchy
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| n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序 | |
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50
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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