t he has come to believe
in it?"

Gamba smiled. "Probably not in your Highness's sense; but he may have
found a use of his own for it."

"What do you mean?" Odo asked.

"If he does not believe it will benefit the state he may think it will
injure your Highness."

"Ah--" said the Duke slowly.

There was a pause, during which he was possessed by the same shuddering
reluctance to fix his mind on the facts before him as when he had
questioned the hunchback about Momola's death. He longed to cast the
whole business aside, to be up and away from it, drawing breath in a new
world where every air was not tainted with corruption. He raised his
head with an effort.

"You think, then, that the liberals are secretly acting against me in
this matter?"

"I am persuaded of it, your Highness."

Odo hesitated. "You have always told me," he began again, "that the love
of dominion was your brother's ruling passion. If he really believes
this movement will be popular with the people, why should he secretly
oppose it, instead of making the most of his own share in it as the
minister of a popular sovereign?"

"For several reasons," Gamba answered promptly. "In the first place, the
reforms your Highness has introduced are not of his own choosing, and
Trescorre has little sympathy with any policy he has not dictated. In
the second place, the powers and opportunities of a constitutional
minister are too restricted to satisfy his appetite for rule; and
thirdly--" he paused a moment, as though doubtful how his words would be
received--"I suspect Trescorre of having a private score against your
Highness, which he would be glad to pay off publicly."

Odo fell silent, yielding himself to a fresh current of thought.

"I know not what score he may have against me," he said at length; "but
what injures me must injure the state, and if Trescorre has any such
motive for withdrawing his opposition, it must be because he believes
the constitution will defeat its own ends."

"He does believe that, assuredly; but he is not the only one of your
Highness's ministers that would ruin the state on the chance of finding
an opportunity among the ruins."

"That is as it may be," said Odo with a touch of weariness. "I have seen
enough of human ambition to learn how limited and unimaginative a
passion it is. If it saw farther I should fear it more. But if it is
short-sighted it sees clearly at close range; and the motive you ascribe
to Trescorre woul