[CHAP. VII.]
LILYA.
“I am getting very anxious about my father!” said Oriel Porphyry to his young friend; “I am sure something must have happened, or I should have found a communication from him at one or other of the different ports I have touched at. Not a syllable of information have I been able to gain from any of my father’s ships I have spoken with, for most of them had left Columbia about the same time as my last advices, and the others were not aware of any thing important having transpired.”
“We are going homewards now, Oriel, and if any thing has happened shall soon be made aware of it;” observed Zabra. “Let us hope for the best. I should not imagine, from the immense influence that he possesses, that the government would attempt to injure him.”
“They only want the power, I believe;” replied the young merchant. “I know these sort of people too well to put much confidence in an appearance of tranquillity that has been forced upon them. They must hate my father. As the prime mover in the revolution which exhibited their insignificance so palpably, they will look upon the merchant as a person particularly odious, and no doubt would gladly get rid of him at any cost or risk.”
“I should think for their own interests they would let him alone;” remarked his companion. “Experience ought to have taught them the danger of meddling with so popular a character, and having suffered so severely it is not like that they will renew the hazardous experiment.”
“It is because they have suffered that they will be desirous of revenging themselves upon one whom they consider as the cause of the infliction;” said Oriel. “It would have appeared bad enough to them if my father had been one of the most powerful of the aristocracy; but it wounds them to the quick when they reflect that he is a plebeian—in their ideas immeasurably beneath them—an individual of no ancient family, without rank or dignity. With the feelings which a knowledge of this fact must create it is impossible that they can rest satisfied with their limited privileges and curtailed power. They will be continually intriguing for his destruction.”
“They dare not do it, Oriel,” replied Zabra; “I feel assured they dare not.”