"I foretold the whole situation," observed Penborough. "I said, 'Let Reckage once get full power, and he will fool us all.' He affects not to be ambitious, and to prefer moral science to immoral politics. I have no faith in these active politicians who make long speeches to the public, and assure their friends, in very short notes, that they prefer trout-fishing to the cares of State! There is but one man who can save the society now." Bradwyn, Hatchett, and Ullweather looked up, each armed with a modest and repudiating smile. "Who?" asked Hatchett, looking down. "Robert Orange," said Penborough. "Probably," replied Hatchett, after a minute's hesitation. "Probably, Orange ... in time." "Don't you like him?" said Penborough. "Like him!" answered Hatchett, rolling up his eyes. "He's an angel!" "He calls him an angel as though he wished he were one in reality," said Bradwyn. "I know these generous rivals!" Ullweather stood gnawing his upper lip. "Orange," he said, at last. "Oh, Orange has arrived. He will get no further. Of course, he won that election, but Dizzy managed that. Dizzy is the devil! And then, he is still devoted to Reckage, and, for a man of his supposed shrewdness, I call that a sign of evident weakness." At this, Charles Aumerle, who had been listening with the deepest attention to all that passed, looked straight at the speaker. "You should respect," said he, "that liberty, which we all have to deceive ourselves. Reckage has many good points." "But," said Penborough, "he has no moral force, no imagination. He judges men by their manners, which is silly. He thinks that every one who is polite to him believes in him. He will have to send in his resignation before long." "You don't mean it," said Aumerle. "I mean more," continued Penborough. "He could not choose a better moment than the present. In another month, on its present lines, the whole league will have foundered. Should he remain, he would have to sink with the ship. Now, however, it appears safe enough--people see only what you see--a good cargo of influential names on the committee and a clear horizon. He could plead ill-health, or his marriage--in fact, a dozen excellent reasons for momentary retirement. The world would praise his tact. As for the rest, those who have been disillusioned will lose their heads, those who were merely self-seekers will probably lose their places, but the trimmers always keep something. The thing, then, is to cultivate the art of trimming." "But you forget that Reckage is going to marry Miss Carillon," said Aumerle. "Miss Carillon will always advise the safe course."