Diotimos Library · Literary Fiction Collection · English Edition
The Keepers of the People
A Critical Edition of the 1898 Novel
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English Edition · Branch 214 of 254
Chapter XVI · The Affair of the Missionary · pp. 301–316
The Keepers of the People
p. 306“The Princess Agnes will never be the mother of my son,” said Prince Ralph.
“I could not wish it — bad blood — bad blood,” said Prince Raleigh. “Yet I am very tired; and I dare not die, till there is another of our line to rule Varandaleel.” He spoke wearily, and wistfully.
“How shall it be done?” said Prince Ralph.
“The woman must die” said Prince Raleigh.
“And then?” said Prince Ralph. “Who shall be the mother of my son?”
“I would say Althea; but she is too young to marry; she is not grown; these Western women develope late. I say then Ruth. She would marry you?”
“She would marry me,” said Prince Ralph softly; and then in a deeper passionate tone, “And I would marry her. I have longed for her — since I left England.”
“I have known it,” said Prince Raleigh.
“But the woman, Agnes, came trusting me; Lord Lisdor is a kinsman and a guest,” said Prince Ralph slowly.
“It is expedient that one man die for the people, much more a woman. That Lord Lisdor is a kinsman and a guest touches me; but where the good of the people is concerned, we have no private virtues. If need be, Lord Lisdor shall die too. But I think there is no need.”
“It is expedient,” said Prince Ralph, rising, “Good-night; and sleep away your weariness.”
“It is past sleeping away — good-night,” said the old Prince.
As Prince Ralph came to his wing, he found Ruth and Althea riding towards the gates.
“We are riding to Aru, to see how the wounded are recovering,” said Althea without drawing rein.
“A pleasant ride, my helpers” said Prince Ralph. “I will sup with you, when you come back.”
He passed through into the gardens, on his way to the Pavilion of Wonderful Delights, and came upon Vashti and Lord Lisdor. This night Vashti had been very shy with Lord Lisdor; the night before his unhappiness had loosened her hold upon her passion; but to-night, as if to make amends to herself, she was cold to him, would not even suffer him to kiss her hand; and her coldness spurred his passion again.
Socrates
Reading The Keepers of the People · Book II, Chapter XVI · The Affair of the Missionary · Book II, Chapter XVI · The Affair of the Missionary · pp. 301–316
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Edgar Jepson’s The Keepers of the People begins as a late-Victorian lost-kingdom romance and becomes an unsettling political argument. Ralph Falcon moves from an English country house to the hidden state of Varandaleel, where laughter, secrecy, violence, education, and the duties of rulers are tested against one another.
Historical Text
The novel was first published in London in 1898 by C. Arthur Pearson. This reading text follows the owner-supplied critical edition, whose copy-text is the Methuen Colonial Library issue of the same year digitised by the Internet Archive. The supplied editorial note records the edition’s corrections, normalisations, limits, and unresolved textual risks.
About This Edition
This English Edition preserves the complete supplied text and apparatus: the introduction, reading guide, key words, plot outline, editorial note, both books and all thirty chapters, and the end notes. Its reader branches end at paragraph boundaries, with the original chapter structure and chapter page references mapped to the 1898 printing.
Rights
Edgar Jepson’s 1898 novel is in the public domain. The introduction, reader’s guide, key words, outline, editorial note, notes, editorial arrangement, and design of the supplied edition are © 2026 Diotimos Editions.