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；　and　troubles　multiplied。


CHAPTER　XVI。　Hyde　Park

Who　spouts　his　message　to　the　wilderness；　Lightens　his　soul　and　feels　one　burden　less；　But　to　the　people　preach；　and　you　will　find　They'll　pay　you　back　with　thanks　ill　to　your　mind。　Goethe。　Translated　by　J。S。B。

Hyde　Park　is　a　truly　national　property；　and　it　is　amusing　and　perhaps　edifying　to　note　the　various　uses　to　which　it　is　often　put。　　In　the　morning　it　is　the　rendevous　of　nurses　and　children；　in　the　afternoon　of　a　fashionable　throng；　on　Sunday　evenings　it　is　the　resort　of　hard…working　men　and　women；　who　have　to　content　themselves　with　getting　a　breath　of　fresh　air　once　a　week。　　But；　above　all；　the　park　is　the　meeting　place　of　the　people；　the　place　for　mass　meetings　and　monster　demonstrations。

On　a　bright　day　in　June；　when　the　trees　were　still　in　their　freshest　green；　the　crowd　of　wealth　and　fashion　had　beaten　an　ignominious　retreat　before　a　great　political　demonstration　to　be　held　that　afternoon。

Every　one　knew　that　the　meeting　would　be　a　very　stormy　one；　for　it　related　to　the　most　burning　question　of　the　day；　a　question　which　was　hourly　growing　more　and　more　momentous；　and　which　for　the　time　had　divided　England　into　two　bitterly　opposed　factions。

These　years　which　Erica　had　passed　so　quietly　had　been　eventful　years　for　the　country；　years　of　strife　and　bloodshed；　years　of　reckless　expenditure；　years　which　deluded　some　and　enraged　others；　provoking　most　bitter　animosity　between　the　opposing　parties。　　The　question　was　not　a　class　question；　and　a　certain　number　of　the　working　classes　and　a　large　number　of　the　London　roughs　warmly　espoused　the　cause　of　that　party　which　appealed　to　their　love　of　power　and　to　a　selfish　patriotism。　　The　Hyde　Park　meeting　would　inevitably　be　a　turbulent　one。　　Those　who　wished　to　run　no　risk　remained　at　home；　Rotten　Row　was　deserted；　the　carriage　road　almost　empty；　while　from　the　gateways　there　poured　in　a　never　ending　stream　of　people　some　serious…looking；　some　eager　and　excited；　some　with　a　dangerously　vindictive　look；　some　merely　curious。　　Every　now　and　then　the　more　motley　and　disorderly　crowd　was　reinforced　by　a　club　with　its　brass　band　and　banners；　and　gradually　the　mass　of　human　beings　grew　from　hundreds　to　a　thousand；　from　one　thousand　to　many　thousands；　until；　indeed；　it　became　almost　impossible　to　form　any　idea　of　the　actual　numbers；　so　enormous　was　the　gathering。

〃We　shall　have　a　bad　time　of　it　today；〃　remarked　Raeburn　to　Brian；　as　they　forced　their　way　on。　〃If　I'm　not　very　much　mistaken；　too；　we　are　vastly　outnumbered。〃

He　looked　round　the　huge　assembly　from　his　vantage　ground　of　six　foot　four；　his　cool　intrepidity　not　one　whit　shaken　by　the　knowledge　that；　by　what　he　was　about　to　say；　he　should　draw　down　on　his　own　head　all　the　wrath　of　the　roughest　portion　of　the　crowd。

〃'Twill　be　against　fearful　odds！〃　said　Tom；　elbowing　vigorously　to　keep　up　with　his　companion。

〃We　fear　nae　foe！〃　said　Raeburn；　quoting　his　favorite　motto。　　〃And；　after　all；　it　were　no　bad　end　to　die　protesting　against　wicked　rapacity；　needless　bloodshed。〃

His　eye　kindled　as　he　thought　of　the　protest　he　hoped　to　make；　his　heart　beat　high　as　he　looked　round　upon　the　throng　so　largely　composed　of　those　hostile　to　himself。　　Was　there　not　a　demand　for　his　superabundant　energy？　A　demand　for　the　tremendous　powers　of　endurance；　of　influence；　of　devotion　which　were　stored　up　within　him？　　As　an　athlete　joys　in　trying　a　difficult　feat；　as　an　artist　joys　in　attempting　a　lofty　subject；　so　Raeburn　in　his　consciousness　of　power；　in　his　absolute　conviction　of　truth；　joyed　in　the　prospect　of　a　most　dangerous　conflict。

Brian；　watching　him　presently　from　a　little　distance；　could　not　wonder　at　the　immense　influence　he　had　gained　in　the　country。　　The　mere　physique　of　the　man　was　wonderfully　impressive　the　strong；　rugged　Scottish　face；　the　latent　power　conveyed　in　his　whole　bearing。　　He　was　no　demagogue；　he　never　flattered　the　people；　he　preached　indeed　a　somewhat　severe　creed；　but；　even　in　his　sternest　mood；　the　hold　he　got　over　the　people；　the　power　he　had　of　raising　the　most　degraded　to　a　higher　level　was　marvelous。　　It　was　not　likely；　however；　that　his　protest　of　today　would　lead　to　anything　but　a　free　fight。　　If　he　could　make　himself　effectually　heard；　he　cared　very　little　for　what　followed。　　It　was　necessary　that　a　protest　should　be　made；　and　he　was　the　right　man　to　make　it；　therefore　come　ill　or　well；　he　would　go　through　with　it；　and；　if　he　escaped　with　his　life　so　much　the　better！

The　meeting　began。　　A　moderate　speaker　was　heard　without　interruption；　but　the　instant　Raeburn　stood　up；　a　chorus　of　yells　arose。　　For　several　minutes　he　made　no　attempt　to　speak；　but　his　dignity　seemed　to　grow　in　proportion　with　the　indignities　offered　him。　　He　stood　there　towering　above　the　crowd　like　a　rock　of　strength；　scanning　the　thousands　of　faces　with　the　steady　gaze　of　one　who；　in　thinking　of　the　progress　of　the　race；　had　lost　all　consciousness　of　his　own　personality。　　He　had　come　there　to　protest　against　injustice；　to　use　his　vast　strength　for　others；　to　spend　and　be　spent　for　millions；　to　die　if　need　be！　　Raeburn　was　made　of　the　stuff　of　which　martyrs　are　made；　standing　there　face　to　face　with　an　angry　crowd；　which　might　at　any　moment　break　loose　and　trample　him　to　death　or　tear　him　to　pieces；　his　heart　was　nevertheless　all　aglow　with　the　righteousness　of　　his　cause；　with　the　burning　desire　to　make　an　availing　protest　against　an　evil　which　was　desolating　thousands　of　homes。

The　majesty　of　his　calmness　began　to　influence　the　mob；　the　hisses　and　groans　died　away　into　silence；　such　comparative　silence；　that　is；　as　was　compatible　with　the　greatness　of　the　assembly。　　Then　Raeburn　braced　himself　up；　dignified　before；　he　now　seemed　even　more　erect　and　stately。　　The　knowledge　that　for　the　moment　he　had　that　huge　crowd　entirely　under　control　was　stimulating　in　the　highest　degree。　　In　a　minute　his　stentorian　voice　was　ringing　out　fearlessly　into　the　vast　arena；　thousands　of　hearts　were　vibrating　to　his　impassioned　appeal。　　To　each　one　it　seemed　as　if　he　individually　were　addressed。

〃You　who　call　yourselves　Englishmen；　I　come　to　appeal　to　you　today！　　You；　who　call　yourselves　freemen；　I　come　to　tell　you　that　you　are　acting　like　slaves。〃

Then　with　rare　tact；　he　alluded　to　the　strongest　points　of　the　British　character；　touching　with　consummate　skill　the　vulnerable　parts　of　his　audience。　　He　took　for　granted　that　their　aims　were　pure；　their　standard　lofty；　and　by　the　very　supposition　raised　for　a　time　the　most　abject　of　his　hearers；　inspired　them　with　his　own　enthusiasm。

Presently；　when　he　felt　secure　enough　to　venture　it；　when　the　crowd　was　hanging　on　his　words　with　breathless　attention；　he　appealed　no　longer　directly　to　the　people；　but　drew；　in　graphic　language；　the　picture　of　the　desolations　brought　by　war。　　The　simplicity　of　his　phrases；　his　entire　absence　of　showiness　or　bombast；　made　his　influence　indescribably　deep　and　powerful。　　A　mere　ranter；　a　frothy　mob　orator；　would　have　been　silenced　long　before。

But　this　man　had　somehow　got　hold　of　the　great　assembly；　had　conquered　them　by　sheer　force　of　will；　in　a　battle　of　one　will　against　thousands　the　one　had　conquered；　and　would　hold　its　own　till　it　had　administered　the　hard　home…thrust　which　would　make　the　thousands　wince　and　retaliate。

Now；　under　the　power　of　that　〃sledge…hammer　Saxon；〃　that　marvelously　graphic　picture　of　misery　and　bereavement；　hard…headed；　and　hitherto　hard　hearted　men　were　crying　like　children。　　Then　came　the　rugged　unvarnished　statement　shouted　forth　in　the　speaker's　sternest　voice。

〃All　this　is　being　done　in　your　name；　men　of　England！　　Not　only　in　your　name；　but　at　your　cost！　　You　are　responsible　for　this　bloodshed；　this　misery！　　How　long　is　it　to　go　on？　　How　long　are　you　free　men　going　to　allow　yourselves　to　be　bloody　executioners？　　How　long　are　you　to　be　slavish　followers　of　that　grasping　ambition　which　veils　its　foulness　under　the　fair　name　of　patriotism？〃

Loud　murmurs　began　to　arise　at　this；　and　the　orator　knew　that　the　ground　swell　betokened　the　coming　storm。　　He　proceeded　with　tenfold　energy；　his　words　came　down　like　hailstones；　with　a　fiery　indignation　he　delivered　his　mighty　philippic；　in　a　torrent　of　forceful　words　he　launched　out　the　most　tremendous　denunciation　he　had　ever　uttered。　　

The　string　had　been　gradually　worked　up　to　its　highest　possible　tension；　at　length　when　the　strain　was　the　greatest　it　suddenly　snapped。　　Raeburn's　will　had　held　all　those　thousands　in　check；　he　had　kept　his　bitterest　enemies　hanging　on　his　words；　he　had　lashed　them　into　fury；　and　still　kept　his　grip　over　them；　he　had　worked　them　up；　gaining　more　and　more　power　over　them；　till　at　length；　as　he　shouted　forth　the　last　words　of　a　grand　peroration；　the　bitterness　and　truth　of　his　accusations　proved　keener　than　his　restraining　influence。

He　had　foreseen　that　the　spell　would　break；　and　he　knew　the　instant　it　was　broken。　　A　moment　before；　and　he　had　been　able　to　sway　that　huge　crowd　as　he　pleased；　now　he　was　at　their　mercy。　　No　will　power；　no　force　of　language；　no　strength　of　earnestness　or　truth　would　avail　him　now。　All　that　he　had　to　trust　to　was　his　immense　physical　strength；　and　what　was　that　when　measured　against　thousands？

He　saw　the　dangerous　surging　movement　in　the　sea　of　heads；　and　knew　only　too　well　what　it　betokened。　　With　a　frightful　yell　of　mingled　hatred　and　execration；　the　seething　human　mass　bore　down　upon　him！　　His　own　followers　and　friends　did　what　they　could　for　him；　but　that　was　very　little。　　His　case　was　desperate。　　Desperation；　however；　inspires　some　people　with　an　almost　superhuman　energy。　　Life　was　sweet；　and　that　day　he　fought　for　his　life。　　The　very　shouting　and　hooting　of　the　mob；　the　roar　of　the　angry　multitude；　which　might　well　have　filled　even　a　brave　man　with　panic；　stimulated　him；　strengthened　him　to　resist　to　the　uttermost。

He　fought　like　a　lion；　forcing　his　way　through　the　furious　crowd；　attacked　in　the　most　brutal　way　on　every　side；　yet　ever　struggling　on　if　only　by　inches。　　Never　once　did　his　steadfastness　waver；　never　for　a　single　instant　did　his　spirit　sink。　　His　unfailing　presence　of　mind　enabled　him　to　get　through　what　would　have　been　impossible　to　mo