"You will never know how near you have been to disaster. Try
and wake up your nation gradually, if you can. Call together your
writers, your thinking men, your historians. Encourage the flagging
spirit of patriotism in your public schools and universities. Is this
presumption on my part that I give so much advice? If so, forgive me.
Truth that sits in the heart will sometimes demand to be heard."
At the Prime Minister's request, Nigel remained behind. They both looked
at the door through which Prince Shan had passed. Mr. Mervin Brown
metaphorically pinched himself. He was still feeling a little dazed.
"Is that man real flesh and blood?" he demanded.
"He is as real and as near the truth," Nigel replied solemnly, "as the
things of which he has told us."
CHAPTER XXXI
That night, Nigel gave a dinner party on Maggie's account at the
fashionable London hotel of the moment. Invitations had been sent out by
telephone, by hurried notes, in one or two cases were delivered by word
of mouth. On the whole, the acceptances, considering the season was in
full swing, were a little remarkable. Every one was anxious to come,
because, as one of her girl friends put it, no one ever knew what Maggie
was going to be up to next. One of the few refusals came from Prince
Shan, and even he made use of compromise:
_My dear Lord Dorminster, will you forgive me if in this instance I
do not break a custom to which I have perhaps a little too rigidly
adhered.
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