swarthy crimson:
Diana, fluttering, rebukes her; but Diana is the appeasable Goddess; Tony is the
woman, and she loves him. The glorious Goddess need not cut them adrift; they
can show her a book of honest pages.
    Dacier could truthfully say he had worshipped, done knightly service to the
beloved woman, homage to the aureole encircling her. Those friends of his,
covertly congratulating him on her preference, doubtless thought him more
privileged than he was; but they did not know Diana; and they were welcome, if
they would only believe, to the knowledge that he was at the feet of this most
sovereign woman. He despised the particular Satyr-world which, whatever the
nature or station of the woman, crowns the desecrator, and bestows the title of
Fool on the worshipper. He could have answered voraciously that she had kept him
from folly.
    Nevertheless the term to service must come. In the assurance of the
approaching term he stood braced against a blowing world; happy as men are when
their muscles are strung for a prize they pluck with the energy and aim of their
whole force.
    Letters and morning papers were laid for him to peruse in his dressing-room.
He read his letters before the bath. Not much public news was expected at the
present season. While dressing, he turned over the sheets of Whitmonby's
journal. Dull comments on stale tidings. Foreign news, Home news, with the
leaders on them, identically dull. Behold the effect of Journalism: a witty man,
sparkling overnight, gets into his pulpit and proses; because he must say
something, and he really knows nothing. Journalists have an excessive
overestimate of their influence. They cannot, as Diana said, comparing them with
men on the Parliamentary platform, cannot feel they are aboard the big vessel;
they can only strive to raise a breeze, or find one to swell; and they cannot
measure the stoutness or the greatness of the good ship England. Dacier's
personal ambition was inferior to his desire to extend and strengthen his
England. Parliament was the field, Government the office. How many conversations
had passed between him and Diana on that patriotic dream! She had often filled
his drooping sails; he owned it proudly: - and while the world, both the hoofed
and the rectilinear portions, were biting at her character! Had he fretted her
self-respect? He blamed himself, but a devoted service must have its term.
    The paper of Mr. Tonans was reserved for perusal at breakfast. He reserved
it because Tonans was an opponent, tricksy and surprising