He spoke in a half-jesting tone probably to hide the fact that he was so much in earnest.
"No; perhaps not. But it's got to have them if it's going to be saved. Moreover," he went on, "it must find them among the young men. The older men are all steeped and branded and tarred and feathered with the materialism of the nineteenth century. They're perfectly sodden. They see no patriotism except in loyalty to a political machine; and no loyalty to a political machine except for what they can get out of it. From our Presidents down most of them will sacrifice any law of right to the good of a party. They don't realize that nine times out of ten the good of a party is the evil of the common weal; and our older men will never learn the fact. If we can't wake the younger men, we're done for."
"And are you going to wake them?"
"I'm going to be awake myself. That's all I can be responsible for. If I can find another fellow who's awake I'll follow him."
"Why not lead him? I should think you could."
He turned around on me. I shall never forget the gleam in his eye.
"No one is ever going to get away with this thing who thinks of leadership. There are times in the history of countries when men are called on to give up everything and be true to an ideal. I believe that time is approaching. It may come into Europe in one way and to America in another; but it's coming to us all. There'll be a call for—for—" he hesitated at the word, uttering it only with an apologetic laugh—"for consecration."
I was curious.
"And what do you mean by that—by consecration?"
He reflected before answering.