“I think his action is a little too late for that. His plea is ill-health. None of us have heard anything further—not those nearest to him in office.”
“And then there will come the general election for his successor?”
(For in Lucifram they chose their highest priests that way. The clergy vote for them.)
“Yes; in a few weeks from now.”
“It will be a very distracting time?”
“Scarcely more so than the last year has been.”
And so the silent plot of years had worked to a fulfilment, the veil or mask at length being thrown aside. To-day was spoken openly what a month ago had been whispered and kept down.
Here the conversation was interrupted by Miss Crokerly.
“Mr. Barringcourt tells me he saw the secretary again this morning, and arranged for all the things you suggested, Rosalie.”
“Yes. He has never doubted my judgment before, but I think he must have detected a foreign influence, he looked so dubious.”