they have broken many a better man before me."

"I am sorry to hear this," said Endymion; "I trust it is but a passing
cloud."

"It is not a cloud," said Thornberry; "it is a storm, a tempest, a
wreck--but not only for me. Your great relative, my Lord Roehampton,
must look to it, I can tell you that. What is happening in this country,
and is about to happen, will not be cured or averted by commercial
treaties--mark my words."

"But what would cure it?" said Endymion.

"There is only one thing that can cure this country, and it will soon be
too late for that. We must have free exchange."

"Free exchange!" murmured Endymion thoughtfully.

"Why, look at this," said Thornberry. "I had been driving a capital
trade with the States for nearly five years. I began with nothing, as
you know. I had paid off all my borrowed capital; my works were my own,
and this house is a freehold. A year ago I sent to my correspondent at
New York the largest consignment of goods I had ever made and the best,
and I cannot get the slightest return for them. My correspondent writes
to me that there is no end of corn and bread-stuffs which he could send,
if we could only receive them; but he knows very well he might as well
try and send them to the moon. The people here are starving and want
these bread-stuffs, and they are ready to pay for them by the products
of their labour--and your blessed laws prevent them!"

"But these laws did not prevent your carrying on a thriving trade with
America for five years, according to your own account," said Endymion.
"I do not question what you say; I am asking only for information."

"What you say is fairly said, and it has been said before," replied
Thornberry; "but there is nothing in it. We had a trade, and a thriving
trade, with the States; though, to be sure, it was always fitful and
ought to have been ten times as much, even during those five years. But
the fact is, the state of affairs in America was then exceptional. They
were embarked in great public works in which every one was investing his
capital; shares and stocks abounded, and they paid us for our goods with
them."

"Then it would rather seem that they have no capital now to spare to
purchase our goods?"

"Not so," said Thornberry sharply, "as I have shown; but were it so,
it does not affect my principle. If there were free exchange, we should
find employment and compensation in other countries, even if the States
were logged, which