“We must be patient,” he said. “We know we’re right, and those that know they’re right can afford to be patient. The rest will be brought to see it in process of time. They must be educated to the truth. Everything depends on education, Medora. It works through everything—in private affairs and public affairs alike. Ignorance makes all the trouble in the world; and once the spread of education brings the light, then we get a move on and see our way clear. It is for you and me to show the people that we are sure of ourselves and set them the example of how to behave.” “We’ll live it down,” said Medora. “No; we’ve got nothing to live down,” he declared. “It’s for them to live down their ignorance of the case. And it is for us to help them to do it and show them, day by day, that we were right and they were wrong. But you can’t do big things without suffering big things. I warn you there will be a lot at first who will side against us—the sort that judge by the outside, as most do.” “I dare say we’ll be sent to Coventry.” “They may cabal against us like that. But the harder the opposition, the greater the triumph when we show them what we are. We must look to each other for our comfort and support and to our own hearts and good conscience. I’m not afraid for myself. A man can weather anything if he knows he is right. But for a tender creature like you, all full of nerves and that, it will be harder. But you may trust me to be pretty wide awake on your behalf, Medora. I’ll be sleepless to shield you and come between you and every hard word. I’ll fight for you, I promise you.” “I know that,” she said. “The pinch will be before we’re married. Afterwards they’ll soon calm down.” Her affection and trust were unbounded. She believed that he would fight for her, and she looked forward not a little to seeing him do so. Through the atmosphere of the Metropolis, the people at Dene shrank a little. She was prepared to return with a mind enlarged and a perspective widened. No doubt she and Jordan would come to London themselves some day, when he took his place among the leaders. But in the meantime she would not for anything have missed the return to her native village. Her new clothes alone must have sufficed to dictate this step. He, too, at her wish, had bought some new clothes, and though he hesitated at her choice, which led to rather more radiant colours than Kellock was wont to wear, yet he told himself, very truly, that in such a matter no principle was involved. He also felt that it became him to fall in with his future wife’s wishes when and where it was possible and reasonable to do so.