‘Thrice welcome,’ she answered quickly; ‘this solitude is unbearable: I was longing for some sympathising friend in whose ears I could pour forth my trouble.’
‘Thou art in a queer quandary, certainly,’ quoth Sadbag in gentle tones, which were not wanting in sly humour, ‘nevertheless, there will be somebody in a bigger by to-morrow morning.’
‘To whom dost thou refer?’
‘To Felicitas of course: the Emperor shall learn ere another twenty-four hours the opinion of the nation anent profligacy.’
‘What hast thou done in this matter, Master Sadbag,’ said Mercia anxiously, ‘pray tell me, for only an hour ago I sent in my resignation?’
‘Sent thy resignation!’ repeated Sadbag, ‘why Mistress Mercia, there’s no occasion for that! It is the Figure Head Felicitas who should resign; for having no worthy occupation to fill his time he must needs get into mischief; in much the same manner as those empty-headed puppies who dawdle about the squares feasting their eyes on every comely woman who is on her way home from her office, or business. Down with the monarchy, I say, if this be all it is good for! Indeed, we have had enough of it. Look at the centuries of oppression that Russia has gone through! The country knew no real freedom until she shook off the thraldom of despotism and all its concomitant tyrannies.’
‘Yes,’ replied Mercia earnestly, ‘Russia has attained the joys of a Constitutional Monarchy through rivers of human blood; devastating floods of fire, and seas of darkest misery: is it indeed worth the cost of such terrible sacrifices?’
‘No great victory has ever been achieved save at infinite sacrifice. True, it was a mighty one, but the result is worthy of it. The struggle was long and severe; but greater severities have been put an end to—the cruelties of oppression wrought upon millions of helpless beings, which were accentuated by the conditions of civilisation and enlightenment that surrounded them.’
‘Civilisation and enlightenment are of no avail unless the heart be true, and the conscience good. If the moral nature be at fault what avails the enlightenment of ages?’ observed Mercia thoughtfully.
‘The occurrences of to-day is a case in point,’ continued Sadbag; ‘in all history have we a parallel instance of meanness, cruelty, and downright dishonesty as this experience with the Emperor? But I have come to give thee good tidings—I think I have settled him. To-morrow the whole world will ring of his doings. His hypocrisy, his deceit, and his cowardice will make him the object of detestation to all. The four quarters of the earth have got the story word for word, and we shall see what comes of it.’