"There is something noble and glorious in dying for one's king!" exclaimed Louis. "I could half envy such a death!"
"I have that feeling, too," said Bella. "But one has no chance in these days of doing anything that is wonderful or glorious!"
"But think of the danger and the pain," suggested Amy. "It is easy to talk of sacrifices, but difficult to make them."
"I believe that I could sacrifice life in a glorious cause!" replied the enthusiastic girl; and she said no more than she thought. "And if the eye of a king were upon me—think of that! What courage and strength it would give one!"
"It seems to me," observed Mr. Presgrave, "that in these days, as well as in times gone by, each true subject has not only a chance, but a necessity of doing something noble and glorious! There is no light struggle before us all—hate, selfishness, worldliness are at the door of each, but Faith must hold its firm bar across, and the eye of our King is upon us!"
"But what happens to children like us seems so small," replied Bella. "We know what is right, but we seem to want a motive for exertion to the utmost of our power."
"How can we want a motive, my dear child? The weakest child has an enemy to struggle with, more formidable than any power of man—his own traitorous heart. Angels witness the conflict—Heaven sends aid, and victory is—glory eternal!"
"Oh! When earth's hopes are brightest,
Arm for the inward strife!
With more than mortal foes thou fightest,
And for more than life!"
Percy murmured, but so softly that only Jessy caught the words—"'He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.'"
