elled from our
shores, has come back to us; and the poverty is about, I fear, to
show its head." Sir Ferdinando here arose and expostulated. But the
people hardly heard him, and at my request he again sat down.

"I do think that I have endeavoured in this matter to advance too
quickly, and that Sir Ferdinando has been sent here as the necessary
reprimand for that folly. He has required that I shall be banished
to England; and as his order is backed by a double file of
red-coats,--an instrument which in Britannula we do not possess,--I
purpose to obey him. I shall go to England, and I shall there use
what little strength remains to me in my endeavour to put forward
those arguments for conquering the prejudices of the people which
have prevailed here, but which I am very sure would have no effect
upon Sir Ferdinando Brown.

"I cannot but think that Sir Ferdinando gave himself unnecessary
trouble in endeavouring to prove to us that the Fixed Period is a
wicked arrangement. He was not likely to succeed in that attempt. But
he was sure to succeed in telling us that he would make it impossible
by means of the double file of armed men by whom he is accompanied,
and the 250-ton steam-swiveller with which, as he informed me, he is
able to blow us all into atoms, unless I would be ready to start with
Captain Battleax to-morrow. It is not his religion but his strength
that has prevailed. That Great Britain is much stronger than
Britannula none of us can doubt. Till yesterday I did doubt whether
she would use her strength to perpetuate her own prejudices and to
put down the progress made by another people.

"But, fellow-citizens, we must look the truth in the face. In this
generation probably, the Fixed Period must be allowed to be in
abeyance." When I had uttered these words there came much cheering
and a loud sound of triumph, which was indorsed probably by the
postponement of the system, which had its terrors; but I was enabled
to accept these friendly noises as having been awarded to the system
itself. "Well, as you all love the Fixed Period, it must be delayed
till Sir Ferdinando and the English have--been converted."

"Never, never!" shouted Sir Ferdinando; "so godless an idea shall
never find a harbour in this bosom," and he struck his chest
violently.

"Sir Ferdinando is probably not aware to what ideas that bosom may
some day give a shelter. If he will look back thirty years, he will
find that he had hardly contempl