f all men to step forward, each
in his degree, and aid in rescuing the country which gave us birth."
Peveril remembered the warning which he had received from Alice, and
bent his eyes on the ground, without returning any reply. "How is it,
young man," continued Bridgenorth, after a pause--"so young as thou
art, and bound by no ties of kindred profligacy with the enemies of your
country, you can be already hardened to the claims she may form on you
at this crisis?"

"It were easy to answer you generally, Major Bridgenorth," replied
Peveril--"It were easy to say that my country cannot make a claim on me
which I will not promptly answer at the risk of lands and life. But in
dealing thus generally, we should but deceive each other. What is the
nature of this call? By whom is it to be sounded? And what are to be the
results? for I think you have already seen enough of the evils of civil
war, to be wary of again awakening its terrors in a peaceful and happy
country."

"They that are drenched with poisonous narcotics," said the Major, "must
be awakened by their physicians, though it were with the sound of the
trumpet. Better that men should die bravely, with their arms in their
hands, like free-born Englishmen, than that they should slide into the
bloodless but dishonoured grave which slavery opens for its vassals--But
it is not of war that I was about to speak," he added, assuming a milder
tone. "The evils of which England now complains, are such as can be
remedied by the wholesome administration of her own laws, even in the
state in which they are still suffered to exist. Have these laws not a
right to the support of every individual who lives under them? Have they
not a right to yours?"

As he seemed to pause for an answer, Peveril replied, "I have to learn,
Major Bridgenorth, how the laws of England have become so far weakened
as to require such support as mine. When that is made plain to me, no
man will more willingly discharge the duty of a faithful liegeman to
the law as well as the King. But the laws of England are under the
guardianship of upright and learned judges, and of a gracious monarch."

"And of a House of Commons," interrupted Bridgenorth, "no longer doting
upon restored monarchy, but awakened, as with a peal of thunder, to the
perilous state of our religion, and of our freedom. I appeal to your
own conscience, Julian Peveril, whether this awakening hath not been in
time, since you yourself know, and none