for a phrase to describe the hazy things. »I have mine, and you have
yours. It 's like a dispute between religions. There 's no settling it except by
main force. That 's what principles lead you to.«
    Principles may be hazy, but heavy artillery is disposable in defence of
them, and Beauchamp fired some reverberating guns for the eternal against the
transitory; - with less of the gentlemanly fine taste, the light and easy social
semi-irony, than Cecilia liked and would have expected from him. However, as to
principles, no doubt Nevil was right, and Cecilia drew her father to another
position. »Are not we Tories to have principles as well as the Liberals, Nevil?«
    »They may have what they call principles,« he admitted, intent on pursuing
his advantage over the colonel, who said, to shorten the controversy: »It 's a
question of my vote, and my liking. I like a Tory Government, and I don't like
the Liberals. I like gentlemen; I don't like a party that attacks everything,
and beats up the mob for power, and repays it with sops, and is dragging us down
from all we were proud of.«
    »But the country is growing, the country wants expansion,« said Beauchamp;
»and if your gentlemen by birth are not up to the mark, you must have leaders
that are.«
    »Leaders who cut down expenditure, to create a panic that doubles the
outlay! I know them.«
    »A panic, Nevil.« Cecilia threw stress on the memorable word.
    He would hear no reminder in it. The internal condition of the country was
now the point for seriously-minded Englishmen.
    »My dear boy, what have you seen of the country?« Colonel Halkett inquired.
    »Every time I have landed, colonel, I have gone to the mining and the
manufacturing districts, the centres of industry; wherever there was
dissatisfaction. I have attended meetings, to see and hear for myself. I have
read the papers. ...«
    »The papers!«
    »Well, they 're the mirror of the country.«
    »Does one see everything in a mirror, Nevil?« said Cecilia: »even in the
smoothest?«
    He retorted softly: »I should be glad to see what you see,« and felled her
with a blush.
    For an example of the mirror offered by the Press, Colonel Halkett touched
on Mr. Timothy Turbot's article in eulogy of