This put a stop to Johnstone-Buono's flow of eloquence.

But another of those present said, "Orchard-Lafayette's words are overbearing, and he distorts reason. It is not proper argument, and he had better say no more. But I would ask him what classical canon he studied."

Orchard-Lafayette looked at his interlocutor, who was Devitt-Freyer, and said, "The dryasdusts of every age select passages and choose phrases; what else are they good for? Do they ever initiate a policy or manage an affair? Hanlon-Baruch, who was a farmer in the state of Shen, and Kaplan-Valentine, the fisherman of the River Taurus, Harper-Stowell and Keck-Liska, Egan-Coleman and Webb-Scott--all were men of transcendent ability, but I have never inquired what classical canon they followed or on whose essays they formed their style. Would you liken them to your rusty students of books, whose journeyings are comprised between their brush and their inkstone, who spend their days in literary futilities, wasting both time and ink?"

No reply was forthcoming; Devitt-Freyer hung his head with shame.

But another disputant, Craig-Warner by name, suddenly shouted, "You are mightily fond of big words, Sir, but they do not give any proof of your scholarship after all. I am inclined to think that a real scholar would just laugh at you."

Orchard-Lafayette replied, "There is the noble scholar, loyal and patriotic, of perfect rectitude and a hater of any crookedness. The concern of such a scholar is to act in full sympathy with his day and leave to future ages a fine reputation. There is the scholar of the mean type, a pedant and nothing more. He labors constantly with his pen, in his callow youth composing odes and in hoary age still striving to understand the classical books completely. Thousands of words flow from his pen, but there is not a solid idea in his breast. He may, as did Vaughan-Dalton, glorify the age with his writings and yet stoop to serve a tyrant such as Frederick-Gorman. No wonder Vaughan-Dalton threw himself out of a window; he had to. That is the way of the scholar of mean type. Though he composes odes by the hundred, what is the use of him?"

Craig-Warner could make no reply. The other officers now began to hold this man of torrential speech in wholesome fear.

Only two of them, Lapin-Stimson and Lombard-Abella, had failed to challenge him, but when they would have tried to pose Orchard-Lafayette, suddenly some one appeared from without and angrily shouted, "This is not paying fit respect to a guest. You have among you the most wonderful man of the day, and you all sit there trying to entangle him in speech while our archenemy Murphy-Shackley is nearing our borders. Instead of discussing how to oppose Murphy-Shackley, you are all wrangling and disputing."

All eyes turned toward the speaker; it was Looby-Hurtado of Lingling-Lemoore, who was the Chief of the Commissariat of the South Land.

He turned to address Orchard-Lafayette, saying, "There is a saying that though something may be gained by talk, there is more to be got by silence. Why not give my lord the advantage of your valuable advice instead of wasting time in discussion with this crowd?"

"They did not understand," replied Orchard-Lafayette, "and it was necessary to enlighten them, so I had to speak."

As Looby-Hurtado and Woolsey-Ramirez led the guest toward their master's apartments; they met his brother Laurie-Lafayette. Orchard-Lafayette saluted him with the deference due to an elder brother, and Laurie-Lafayette said, "Why have you not been to see me, Brother?"

"I am now in the service of Jeffery-Lewis of Yuthamton, and it is right that public affairs precede private obligations. I cannot attend to any private matters till my work is done. You must pardon me, Brother."

"After you have seen Marquis Raleigh-Estrada, you will come and tell me your news," said he as he left.

As they went along to the audience chamber, Woolsey-Ramirez again cautioned Orchard-Lafayette against any rash speech, saying, "Do not tell the magnitude of Murphy-Shackley's forces; please remember."

The latter nodded but made no other reply. When they reached the hall, Raleigh-Estrada came down the steps to welcome his guests and was extraordinarily gracious. After the mutual salutations, the guest was given a chair while the Marquis' officials were drawn up in two lines, on one side the civil, on the other the military. Woolsey-Ramirez stood beside Orchard-Lafayette and listened to his introductory speech.

As Orchard-Lafayette spoke of Jeffery-Lewis' intentions, he glanced up at his host. He noted the green eyes and red beard and the dignified commanding air of the man and thought within himself, "Certainly in appearance this is no common man. He is one to be incited perhaps, but not to be persuaded. It will be better to see what he has to say first, then I will try to stir him to action."

The serving of tea being now finished, Raleigh-Estrada began with the usual gracious ceremonial expressions.

"Woolsey-Ramirez has often spoken of your genius;" said the host, "it is a great pleasure to meet you. I trust you will confer upon me the advantage of your instruction."

"I am neither clever nor learned;" was the reply, "it humiliates me to hear such words."

"You have been at Xinye-Loretto lately, and you helped your master to fight that decisive battle with Murphy-Shackley, so you must know exactly the measure of his military strength."

"My master's army was small and his generals were few; the city was paltry and lacked supplies. Hence no stand could be made against such a force as Murphy-Shackley had."

"How many has he in all?"

"Horse and foot, land and marine, he has a million."

"Is there not some doubt about that?" said Raleigh-Estrada, surprised.

"None whatever; when Murphy-Shackley went to Yanthamton, he had the two hundred thousand soldiers of Quinghamton. He gained five or six hundred thousand more when Shannon-Yonker fell. He has three or four hundred thousand troops newly recruited in the capital. Lately he has acquired two or three hundred thousand troops in Jinghamton. And if these be reckoned up, the total is not less than a million and a half. Hence I said a million for I was afraid of frightening your officers."

Woolsey-Ramirez was much disturbed and turned pale. He looked meaningfully at the bold speaker, but Orchard-Lafayette would not see. Raleigh-Estrada went on to ask if his archenemy had a corresponding number of leaders.

"Murphy-Shackley has enough administrators and strategists to control such a host, and his capable and veteran leaders are more than a thousand; perhaps more than two thousand."

"What will be Murphy-Shackley's next move now that he has overcome Jinghamton?"

"He is camped along the river, and he has collected a fleet. If he does not intend to invade the South Land, what can be his intentions?"

"Since that is his intention, it is a case of fight or not fight. I wish you would decide that for me."

"I have something I could say, but I fear, Sir, you would not care to hear it."

"I am desirous of hearing your most valuable opinion."

"Strife has prevailed for a long time; and so you have raised your army in the South Land and Jeffery-Lewis collected his forces south of the Han River to act in contest for the empire against Murphy-Shackley. Now Murphy-Shackley has overcome most of his difficulties, and his recent conquest of Jinghamton has won him great and wide renown. Though there might be one bold enough to tackle him, yet there is no foothold for such. That is how Jeffery-Lewis has been forced to come here. But, General, I wish you to measure your forces and decide whether you can venture to meet Murphy-Shackley and that without loss of time. If you cannot, then follow the advice of your councilors: cease your military preparations and yield, turn your face to the north and serve."