le who are pouring over the mountains--well,
English blood naturally likes pride and power and what was good enough
for its grandparents! Louisiana is too big and too far away. It takes a
month to go from Washington to New Orleans. Rome couldn't keep her
countries that were far away, and Rome believed in armies and navies and
proper taxation, and had no pernicious notions--begging your pardon
again, Mr. Rand--about free trade and the abolishment of slavery! I tell
you, this new country of ours will breed or import a leader--and then
she'll revolt and make him dictator--and then we'll have an empire for
neighbour, an empire without any queasy ideas as to majorities and
natural rights! And Thomas Jefferson--begging your pardon, Mr. Rand--is
acute enough to see the danger. He's not bothering about majorities and
natural rights either--for the country west of the Ohio! He's preparing
to govern the Mississippi Territory like a conquered province. Mark my
words, Mr. Rand, she'll find a Buonaparte--some young demagogue, some
ambitious upstart without scruple or a hostage to fortune some common
soldier like Buonaparte or favourite like--like--"

"Like--" queried Rand. But the Colonel, who had suddenly grown very red,
would not or could not continue his comparison. He floundered, drew out
his snuff-box and restored it to his pocket, and finally was taken pity
on by Unity, who with dancing eyes reentered the conversation, and asked
if Mr. Rand had read The Romance of the Forest. Fairfax Cary left the
harpsichord, where he had been impatiently turning over the music, and,
strolling to one of the long windows, stood now looking out into the
gloomy night, and now staring with a frowning face at the lit room and
at Miss Dandridge, in her amber gown, smiling upon Lewis Rand! Near him,
Major Churchill, preternaturally grey and absorbed, played Patience. The
cards fell from his hand with the sound of dead leaves. Beside a second
window sat Jacqueline, looking, too, into the night. She sat in a low
chair covered with dull green silk, and the straight window curtains,
of the same colour and texture, half enshadowed her. Her dress was
white, with coral about her throat and in her hair. She leaned her elbow
on her knee, and with her chin in her hand looked upon the dark mass of
the trees, and the stars between the hurrying clouds.

The younger Cary, at his window, leaned out into the night, listened a
moment, then turned and left the room.