What is a conviction? A particular
view of our personal advantage either practical or emotional. No one is
a patriot for nothing. The word serves us well. But I am clear-sighted,
and I shall not use that word to you, Antonia! I have no patriotic
illusions. I have only the supreme illusion of a lover."

He paused, then muttered almost inaudibly, "That can lead one very far,
though."

Behind their backs the political tide that once in every twenty-four
hours set with a strong flood through the Gould drawing-room could
be heard, rising higher in a hum of voices. Men had been dropping in
singly, or in twos and threes: the higher officials of the province,
engineers of the railway, sunburnt and in tweeds, with the frosted head
of their chief smiling with slow, humorous indulgence amongst the young
eager faces. Scarfe, the lover of fandangos, had already slipped out in
search of some dance, no matter where, on the outskirts of the town. Don
Juste Lopez, after taking his daughters home, had entered solemnly, in a
black creased coat buttoned up under his spreading brown beard. The
few members of the Provincial Assembly present clustered at once around
their President to discuss the news of the war and the last proclamation
of the rebel Montero, the miserable Montero, calling in the name of "a
justly incensed democracy" upon all the Provincial Assemblies of the
Republic to suspend their sittings till his sword had made peace and the
will of the people could be consulted. It was practically an invitation
to dissolve: an unheard-of audacity of that evil madman.

The indignation ran high in the knot of deputies behind Jose Avellanos.
Don Jose, lifting up his voice, cried out to them over the high back
of his chair, "Sulaco has answered by sending to-day an army upon his
flank. If all the other provinces show only half as much patriotism as
we Occidentals--"

A great outburst of acclamations covered the vibrating treble of the
life and soul of the party. Yes! Yes! This was true! A great truth!
Sulaco was in the forefront, as ever! It was a boastful tumult, the
hopefulness inspired by the event of the day breaking out amongst those
caballeros of the Campo thinking of their herds, of their lands, of
the safety of their families. Everything was at stake. . . . No! It was
impossible that Montero should succeed! This criminal, this shameless
Indio! The clamour continued for some time, everybody else in the
room looking towards the g