"The handful of us, old New England, the sprinkling of us that's left, we've got to repel invasion. The aliens are upon us."
"They've even brought their insect pests," put in Alston.
"Folks," said Jeff, "that know no more about the passions and faithfulnesses this government was founded on than a Hottentot going into his neighbour's territory."
"Oh, come," said Alston, "give 'em a fair show. They've come for liberty. You've got to take their word for it."
"Some of 'em have come to avoid being skinned alive, by Islam, some to get money enough to go back with and be rentiers. The Germans have come to show us the beatitude of their specially anointed way of life."
"Well," said Alston curtly, "we've got 'em. And they've got us. You can't leaven the whole lump."
"I can't look much beyond Addington," said Jeff. "I believe I'm dotty over the old girl. I don't want her to go back to being Victorian, but I want her to be right—honest, you know, and standing for decent things. That's why you're going to be mayor."
Alston made no answer, but when, in a few weeks' time, some citizens of weight came to ask him again if he would accept the nomination, he said, without parley, that he would. And it was not Jeff that had constrained him; it was the look in his mother's eyes.