Part 33 (1/2)

”No. Not that. The girl, I mean. Tottie Pringle.”

”Oh yes, I remember.”

”Well, old Pringle began to get offensive. He seemed to think that I ought to--you know.”

”Marry her? I expect you ought.”

”Excellency?” said G.o.dfrey in genuine horror and amazement.

”By the way,” said Bland, ”I forgot to mention that I promised the court martial to get your nephew out of Belfast before to-morrow morning. I hope you don't mind. They wouldn't let him go on any other condition.”

”Quite right,” I said. ”G.o.dfrey shall start to-night.”

”I don't see why I should,” said G.o.dfrey. ”I don't think it's at all nice of you, Excellency, to--”

”And while we're at it,” I said, ”we may as well s.h.i.+p off c.l.i.thering.

G.o.dfrey let me introduce you to--”

I looked round and discovered that c.l.i.thering was not in the room.

”I hope to goodness,” I said, ”that he's not gone out to get himself hanged. He rather wanted to a few minutes ago.”

”It's all right,” said Bland. ”I saw him going upstairs. I expect he's looking for his clothes.”

”G.o.dfrey,” I said. ”I'm going to offer you a great chance. Sir Samuel c.l.i.thering is in every way a very big man. In the first place he's very rich. In the next place he's on intimate terms with the Prime Minister. In fact he's been sending him telegrams every hour or so for the last two days. You go upstairs and help him to find his clothes.

Then take him over to London. The Fleetwood steamer is still running.

If you can get him out of Belfast and lay him down safe and sound on his own doorstep the Government will be so grateful that they'll very likely make you a stipendiary magistrate.”

”But supposing he doesn't want to go?”

”You'll have to make him,” I said.

”How?” said G.o.dfrey. ”How can I?”

”Don't be a fool, G.o.dfrey,” I said. ”Nag at him. You've got more than two hours before you, and nagging is a thing you're really good at.”

Bland took G.o.dfrey by the arm and led him up to c.l.i.thering's bedroom.

He locked them in together, and did not open the door again until half an hour before the steamer started. Then he took up c.l.i.thering's clothes to him. G.o.dfrey had evidently spent the time as I advised.

c.l.i.thering deserved it, of course; but he certainly looked as if he had been through a bad time when Bland let him out.

There was a meeting of the Ulster Defence Committee at seven o'clock.

It was summoned, so the notice which I received informed me, in order to make arrangements for preserving the peace of the town. This, I thought, was very proper work for the committee. The Cabinet was probably making other arrangements with the same object. Between them the committee and the Government had destroyed what little peace Belfast ever had. The least they could do was to restore it.

Moyne took the chair as usual. He opened our proceedings by saying firmly and decisively, that he intended to surrender himself at once to the authorities.

”We're the only authorities there are at present,” said McNeice, ”so if you want to surrender--”