“To me, to your humble servant, sir.”
The people laughed in a suppressive way, but wondered more than ever.
“What did he say, Dennis?”
“That I can never tell, sir. He has a woman’s heart, sir, and she has a man’s heart, sir, and both have the people’s heart, sir; and one day there will be fleets on the sea, sir, and strange armies will appear on our shores, sir. They may come here, sir, and encamp in the cedars, sir. Oh, I am an honest man, and seem to see it all, sir.”
“How old is your prophet, Dennis?”
“I would think that he might be twenty, sir; no, a hundred; no, as old as liberty, sir, with all his bangles and spangles.”
“That is very strange,” said the esquire. “I fear that you may have wheels in your head, Dennis—were any of your people ever a little touched in mind?”
“No, never; they had clear heads. An’ why do I believe that this young man carries a secret in his heart that will deliver America? Because he has the heart of the mountaineers of God. He belongs to the sons of liberty in France, and little he cares for his bangles and spangles.”
“But he is too young.”
“No, no; pardon me, sir, he has an ardent heart, that he has. It is all on fire. Wasn’t David young when he took up a little pebbly rock and sent the giant sprawling? Wasn’t King Alfred young when he put down his foot and planted England? Wasn’t Samuel young when he heard a voice?”