“But surely all this is surmise?”
“Would that one might think so. For those who have eyes to see, the designs of the Colossus in 19— are just as clear as were those of Wilhelm II in the years prior to 1914. That is why the Society of the Friends of Peace is determined at all costs to remove Saul Hartz before a second and greater disaster overtakes this unlucky world.”
Helen was silent. Extremists, tinged with fanaticism, these people might be, but as Hierons presented the facts of the case, and once granting its premises, there was no gainsaying the hard logic of the whole matter.
LI
A SOLEMN pause followed. And then Hierons, with rather an air of taking the bit between his teeth, went suddenly on:
“Fate has ordained that your husband shall do a thing which we, his friends and co-workers, humbly believe to be the will of God.”
“That may be your view,” said Helen. “It may be the view of your Society. But it is not my husband’s. And he is quite ready to give his own life rather than take, as he believes unlawfully, the life of another man.”
“To the Council yesterday,” said Hierons, “your husband made a similar statement. And, my dear Mrs. Endor,”—deep feeling suddenly fused the voice of her countryman—“I have to say this: We, the six members of the Council who were present, were most profoundly moved by the appeal your husband made to us. The strength of his position in England at this moment we fully recognize. Upheld by a recent victory against enormous odds, he believes that he is called to a great work for the state. He believes that as far as Britain is concerned it is now possible to rally public opinion to a perception of the awful danger that lurks in the unbridled power of certain inimical forces.”
“Has he not given proof already,” said Helen, “of what he can do? What other man in this country could have won the Blackhampton election in the face of the U. P.?”
Hierons deferred to the force of that argument. “Oh, yes,” he said, “the Council of Seven grants all that. It is the last to close its eyes to the hard fact. But the Society of the Friends of Peace, governed of necessity by a set of iron laws, has not the power to absolve any member from his vows.”