It was well, perhaps, for the young
man's natural modesty, that he did not hear certain remarks
afterwards exchanged between the more intelligent of his hearers.
When they passed to the drawing-room, the piano was sounding there.
It stopped; the player rose, and moved away, but not before Piers
had seen that it was Irene. He felt robbed of a delight. Oh, to hear
Irene play!
Better was in store for him. With a boldness natural to the hour, he
drew nearer, nearer, watching his opportunity. The chair by Irene's
side became vacant; he stepped forward, and was met with a frank
countenance, which invited him to take the coveted place. Miss
Derwent spoke at once of her interest in the Russian sectaries with
whom--she had heard--Otway was well acquainted, the people
called Dukhobortsi, who held the carrying of arms a sin, and
suffered persecution because of their conscientious refusal to
perform military service. Piers spoke with enthusiasm of these
people.
"They uphold the ideal above all necessary to our time. We ought to
be rapidly outgrowing warfare; isn't that the obvious next step in
civilisation? It seems a commonplace that everyone should look to
that end, and strive for it. Yet we're going back--there's a
military reaction--fighting is glorified by everyone who has a
loud voice, and in no country more than in England. I wish you could
hear a Russian friend of mine speak about it, a rich man who has
just given up everything to join the Dukhobortsi.
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