"Nay, nay; I am not like unto Saul the son of Kish for stature. Moreover, none who look on you can question you are kin to the servant of God who hath even now borne his witness, and this rabble is thirsty for the blood of the saints. Yet I know you have security—the friends with whom you have cast in your lot sit now in high places, and General Monck loves you well."
"General Monck is no friend of mine," returned the young man sternly. "His friends are those only who sit in the king's court, and can carry honours to his house."
"I am glad to hear it; I am heartily glad to hear it," replied Mr. Rogers. "The friendships of this evil generation will avail us little when the trumpet of the Lord of Hosts doth sound the reveille, and those poor bones yonder live once more, ay, and that dead hand beckon us on to victory."
Mr. Rogers was quivering with excitement, and did not notice that Richard was leaning against the wall with set face, evidently quite deaf to his harangue. He went on with increased vehemence in the wildest strain of Fifth Monarchy eloquence.
"The night is dark, yet must we watch till the day dawn!—watch—ay, and not alone shall our lamps be burning, but our matches are alight and our muskets loaded. The artillery of the Lord is called out, the iniquity of this Babylon is full, the saints are even now assembled, and expect the call to arms. Truly your good aunt doth forget her widowhood in the expectation of the day that is presently to break. You also will join us; I know it is long since you have heard the words of pure doctrine, yet there is a blessing in reserve for the seed of the righteous, and the filth of the Presbyterian doctrines you learned in Scotland shall not cleave unto your feet to make them stumble in the way."
He paused, discovering at last that his eloquence was entirely wasted.
"Dick," he urged, shaking the young man by the arm, "you will not turn your back on those who shared your uncle's tribulation, and who do presently expect to share his triumph."
Richard withdrew his arm haughtily. "Mr. Rogers," he answered, "you mistake if you imagine that I can join you and your friends in any of your mad undertakings. What I have seen to-day doth but show the clearer that our cause was lost through our unhappy divisions and distracted councils. I hold that those that turned my uncle's mind against the Lord Protector Cromwell will not be held guiltless when the blame of this day's work is reckoned up."
Mr. Rogers started back, and then, with a violent effort to control himself—
"For the sake of him who hath even now rendered up himself as a martyr for the Lord's cause, I may not be angry with any word of yours," he answered sadly; "but I do entreat of you to take heed! Would you lay down your arms and live in peace among your cattle and your corn, coached and complimented into effeminacy and foolishness? Oh, for shame! Rub your eyes and look about you! What was the fate of the men of Sodom when they thought Lot was one that mocked when he warned them!"