Until that day we knew of Lyonesse as a strong man, and an humble, so we thought; for in the twelve years since he came to power, the hard-hitting, rough-fighting master of industry had never lost his habit of grave self-command, or let any breath of passion sway his justice. A man must be true to win the confidence of friends, but great to win the trust of enemies.
Now the deeps were moved, and elemental forces stirred within him. Henceforward he was to suffer, to rejoice, to pity, to slay within no boundaries of self-discipline, to love with irresistible passion, to strike with overwhelming rage. One does not praise or blame the hurricane.
Brand came back to the desk, sat down in his chair, and laid his hand upon the Russian papers.
"One would think," he said, "that the man who owned these papers, owned this Chancellor. He obeyed Russia—will he fight me?"
"There is the whole party of the capitalists," answered the other ruefully, at which Brand was aroused.
"Will they fight me?" he said.
"But the allies will declare war!"
"Am I not Lyonesse!"
"You cannot fight three nations."
"My father warned me," said Brand, thoughtfully, "and somehow I always knew that sooner or later I must take the field to save Britain. No man has seen etheric power in action."