Señ. And at the end?
Gui. He held our sealèd bonds,
And Vardas sat secure.
Señ. The bonds? We own
Our railways now?
Gui. We do. And Hudibrand
Owns us,—that is, the bonds. A good, stout noose
For a nation's neck.
Señ. And all these days he's been
In th' capital?
Gui. In closest session, though
A stage-fed rumor held that he was gone
From Goldusan. The harried people fear
Assarian power, and on the jealous watch,
Keep Hudibrand in burrow.
Señ. He's gay-blown
With confidence. I hear from Ziralay
He made a careless peace with all the friends
Of tottering Cordiaz.
Gui. That carelessness
Was sea-deep cunning. Favors will go high,
They'll find. Megario gave full half his lands
For place in th' Cabinet.
Señ. Megario moved
In blaze of censure, and did well to escape
Singed of but half his goods. Two prisoners lost——
Gui. Ah, Chartrien and....