"
"I can conceive so."
"I became a man when the bad times were beginning," said
Gerard; "I have passed through many doleful years. I was a
Franklin's son myself, and we had lived on this island at
least no worse for a longer time than I care to recollect as
little as what I am now. But that's nothing; I am not
thinking of myself. I am prosperous in a fashion; it is the
serfs I live among of whom I am thinking. Well, I have heard,
in the course of years, of some specifics for this constant
degradation of the people; some thing or some person that was
to put all right; and for my part, I was not unready to
support any proposal or follow any leader. There was reform,
and there was paper money, and no machinery, and a thousand
other remedies; and there were demagogues of all kinds, some
as had as myself, and some with blood in their veins almost as
costly as flows in those of our great neighbour here. Earl de
Mowbray, and I have always heard that was very choice: but I
will frankly own to you, I never had much faith in any of
these proposals or proposers; but they were a change, and that
is something. But I have been persuaded of late that there is
something going on in this country of more efficacy; a
remedial power, as I believe, and irresistible; but whether
remedial or not, at any rate a power that will mar all or cure
all.
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