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 57 of 254
Chapter IV · Lady Hammersmith Asks Questions · pp. 38–47
The Keepers of the People
p. 46“It is no use your interrupting, George!” cried Lady Hammersmith. “I will raise my voice in protest—”
“I prefer that you do not — here,” said Lady Lisdor, in a tone so haughty as compelled obedience even from Lady Hammersmith.
“And will they worship you, when your father — eventually, Mr. Falcon?” said Miss Freshington, and her eyes brightened on him with interest.
“Yes,” said Ralph Falcon.
“How extremely amusing! I wonder what it will feel like?” said Althea, delighted.
“Althea!” cried Lady Hammersmith.
“How are the Armenians getting on?” said Lady Lisdor to Lady Hammersmith, and set her off on a fluent denunciation of the Government, that filled up the rest of dinner.
That night, as they were coming back from the terrace to the house, Lord Lisdor said thoughtfully to his wife, “I should think Agnes Freshington would do.”
“What for?” said Lady Lisdor.
“For a wife for Ralph,” said Lord Lisdor.
“Oh!” said Lady Lisdor, and in some inexplicable fashion, the soft night air had grown chill, and the world emptier. She gave herself a little shake; and said presently, “What does he want a wife for?”
“He wants a son,” said Lord Lisdor; “and I thought of Agnes Freshington. She’s healthy, and intelligent; and that’s all he seems to care about.”
“You men are in some ways horrible creatures,” said Lady Lisdor.
“Horrible? I don’t know. Some of us are a bit rum,” said Lord Lisdor.
“Miss Freshington will not do at all,” said Lady Lisdor.
“Well, he’ll have to judge. I think he’d better have a shot at it. Anyhow it’ll be rather fun, won’t it?” said Lord Lisdor.
“No: it won’t,” said Lady Lisdor. “In truth, had I known, I would not have had her here. I suppose you suggested it to him.”
“Agnes Freshington can take care of herself, don’t you know?” said Lord Lisdor. “Oh, Miss Freshington!” said Lady Lisdor with a very cold scorn. “I was not thinking of Miss Freshington. She will never make him happy.”
“I don’t think she will make him unhappy. He’s not the man to depend on women for happiness, don’t you know?” said Lord Lisdor.
Socrates
Reading The Keepers of the People · Book I, Chapter IV · Lady Hammersmith Asks Questions · Book I, Chapter IV · Lady Hammersmith Asks Questions · pp. 38–47
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.