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"
"
"
"
But--reaction. What do you hope to do?"
Stop it!" cried the young man from Oxford. "Before it is too late."
But---"
It's not impossible," cried the young man from Oxford, with a jump
in his voice. "We want the firm hand; we want the subtle plan, the
resolute mind. We have been mealy-mouthed and weak-handed; we have
trifled and temporised and the Food has grown and grown. Yet even now--"
He stopped for a moment. "This is the echo of Caterham," said his
friend.
"Even now. Even now there is hope--abundant hope, if only we make sure
of what we want and what we mean to destroy. The mass of people are with
us, much more with us than they were a few years ago; the law is with
us, the constitution and order of society, the spirit of the established
religions, the customs and habits of mankind are with us--and against
the Food. Why should we temporise? Why should we lie? We hate it, we
don't want it; why then should we have it? Do you mean to just grizzle
and obstruct passively and do nothing--till the sands are out?"
He stopped short and turned about. "Look at that grove of nettles there.
In the midst of them are homes--deserted--where once clean families of
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