gain--fair on both sides. 'You help me and I'll help you.' And it's
the only way you can do anything worth doing."

"Well," said the Duke, passively.

Thorpe halted, and still with the cigar between his teeth, looked down
at him.

"I can go into London, and study out the things that are to be
done--that need to be done--and divide these into two parts, those that
belong to private enterprise and those that ought to be done publicly.
And I can say to Londoners--not in so many words, mind you, but in a way
the sharper ones will understand: 'Here, you fellows. I'll begin doing
out of my own pocket one set of these things, and you in turn must put
yourselves at my back, and stand by me, and put me in a position where
I can make the Government do this other set of things.' That will appeal
to them. A poor man couldn't lead them any distance, because he could
always be killed by the cry that he was filling his pockets. They will
believe in a man whose ambition is to win an earldom and five thousand
a year out of politics, but they will stone to death the man who merely
tries to get a few hundreds a year out of it for his wife and children.
And a man like you can't do anything in London, because they can't see
that there's anything you want in return--and besides, in their hearts,
they don't like your class. Don't forget it! This is the city that
chopped off the king's head!"

"Ah, but this is also the city," retorted the other, with placid
pleasure in his argument, "which decked itself in banners and ribbons to
welcome back the son of that same king. And if you think of it, he was
rather a quaint thing in sons, too."

"It was the women did that," Thorpe affirmed with readiness. "They get
their own way once in a while, when the men are tired out, and they have
their little spell of nonsense and monkey-shines, but it never lasts
long. Charles II. doesn't matter at all--but take my word for it, his
father matters a great deal. There was a Thorpe among the judges who
voted to behead him. I am descended in a straight line from him."

His Grace shrugged his slight shoulders again. "It happens that my
ancestors had extremely large facilities for doing unpleasant things,
and, God knows, they did them--but I don't quite see what that goes to
prove, now."

"No, you don't grasp the idea," said Thorpe, resignedly. After a
moment's pause he took the cigar from his lips, and straightened himself
"All the same," he declared roundly,