“And are there many of these societies?” Brand asked.

O’Halloran had carelessly lit himself another pipe.

“Europe is honey-combed with them.  They are growing in secret as rapidly as some kindred societies are growing in the open.  Look at the German socialists—­in 1871 they polled only 120,000 votes; in 1874 they polled 340,000:  I imagine that Herr Furst von Bismarck will find some difficulty in suppressing that Frankenstein monster he coquetted so long with.  Then the Knights of Labor in America:  you will hear something of them by-and-by, or I am mistaken.  In secret and in the open alike there is a vast power growing and growing, increasing in volume and bulk from hour to hour, from year to year, God only knows in what fashion it will reveal itself.  But you may depend on it that when the spark does spring out of the cloud—­when the clearance of the atmosphere is due—­people will look back on 1688, and 1798, and 1848 as mere playthings.  The Great Revolution is still to come; it may be nearer than some imagine.”

He had grown more earnest, both in his manner and his speech.

“Well,” George Brand said, “timid people may reassure themselves.  Where there are so many societiets, there will be as many different aims.  Some, like the wilder German socialists, will want a general participation of property; others a demolition of the churches and crucifixion of the priests; others the establishment of a Universal Republic.  There may be a great deal of powder stored up, but it will all go off in different directions, in little fireworks.”

A quick light gleamed in those deep-set, lion-like eyes.

“Very well said!” was the scornful comment.  “The Czar himself could not have expressed his belief, or at least his hope, more neatly.  But let me tell you, sir, that the masses of mankind are not such hopeless idiots as are some of the feather-headed orators and writers who speak for them; and that you will appeal to them in vain if you do not appeal to their sense of justice, and their belief in right, and in the eternal laws of God.  You may have a particular crowd go mad, or a particular city go mad; but the heart of the people beats true, and if you desire a great political change, you must appeal to their love of fair and honest dealing as between man and man.  And even if the aims of these societies are diverse, what then?  What would you think, now, if it were possible to construct a common platform, where certain aims at least could be accepted by all, and become bonds to unite those who are hoping for better things all over the earth?  That did not occur to you as a possible thing, perhaps?  You have only studied the ways of kings and governments—­each one for itself.  ’Come over my boundary, and I will cleave your head; or, rather, I will send my common people to do it, for a little blood-letting from time to time is good for that vile and ignorant body.’  But the vile and ignorant body may