Swami smiled, as he watched the puzzled look upon her face, for of course it was all clear enough to him why the people of India had picked her out as the representative of their country’s eminence and glory; after a pause, he thought it no harm to tell her somewhat of the situation. ‘There are but two topics talked of just now, not only throughout this Empire but the whole world. They form subject for conversation everywhere. The Court; the spirit café, the theatre, the club, the dinner-table; the street corner, the race-course, wherever men congregate, or women either, the chief food for talk is THE GREAT TEST TOURNAMENT, and the impeachment for high treason, of Mercia, the Astronomer Royal, and her two friends—Geometrus, the Assistant Astronomer, and Sadbag the Politician. ‘It is well known how the case stands, for Sadbag gave it to the whole world immediately before his imprisonment. Everyone believes in thine innocence, and the Emperor’s guilt. They say he ought to be indicted for perjury—but from his position that is impossible. There are even now hundreds of letters in thy counsel’s keeping expressive of the sympathy of every country. France offers thee a similar position in her Empire as that thou hast resigned here, Russia does the same, even before they know the issue of the trial; but when thine innocence is proved beyond dispute, every country will vie with each other in showing thee honour; the only method open to them of displaying their contempt of Felicitas’ unworthy conduct. A two-fold motive will inspire India to top them all in glorifying thee. One is sincere admiration for thy character and attainments, the other is the punishment of their country’s tyrant, by the promotion of one he sought to ruin; for it was Felicitas’ influence which made the WORLD’S TRIBUNAL TRIAL of no account for India. ‘For this reason they do not bless him—they curse him by electing thee—his enemy—an enemy of his own making—for of all men thou shouldst despise him utterly.’ ‘I do heartily despise him—he’s the meanest cur I know,’ remarked Mercia excitedly; ‘he is capable of saying anything to save his own skin: he had scarcely finished protesting how much he loved me, when to suit the situation he turned round and made a false charge against me, and my two friends who were witnesses of my innocence.’