"Some French girl most probably; whenever a new one appears, the taxes go up; some one must pay for the jewels for the King's mistress."
"Good God! can it really be so?" I asked, feigning surprise, for I was desirous of obtaining more information.
"The good God has deserted Rudarlia, monsieur, only the devil reigns here now. But you are a stranger evidently, or you would not be surprised. We Rudarlians have experienced it before, but----" he looked at me quickly for a moment, lifted his hat and passed on.
"Is your blood on the boil?" asked Mr. Neville, smiling.
I did not answer, it was coming home to me so strongly that something must be done; there would be bloodshed, insurrection, and red revolution before long, if the present state of things continued. From the ashes, what would arise?
No state can stand an upheaval such as I pictured, without for many years feeling the effect of it, more especially a race like the Rudarlians, who are conservative by nature.
What I could not understand was, how the nobles allowed it. Surely there must be among them fine, strong men, capable of grasping the reins and stopping the headlong rush to destruction; and then crept in the word, jealousy.
Jealousy, that accursed thing, which has wrecked so many ideas, and brought misery to so many individuals. That would account for it. Hating the present monarch, hating equally the heir, they would none of them combine to alter matters, for fear that one of them should be exalted over the others.
Since then I have discovered that I misjudged them.
CHAPTER V