Part 37 (2/2)

He also had a pale mauve tie with a pearl pin in it.

c.l.i.thering began rather pompously. I dare say he really thought that he was in a position to dictate terms.

”I hope,” he said, ”I sincerely hope that you fully realize the extraordinary forbearance with which the Government has treated this--this--”

”Don't say rebellion,” I said; ”we're thoroughly loyal men and always have been.”

c.l.i.thering hesitated. He wanted to say rebellion, but he remembered that he was engaged in a game of diplomacy.

”This _emeute_,” he said at last.

French is, after all, a greater language than English. I could not object to _emeute_. I should have objected to any English description of our rising.

”We might,” said c.l.i.thering, ”have shot the people down. We might have bombarded the town. I am sure that you realize that.”

”We realize it,” I said, ”but we don't altogether appreciate it. In fact, we feel that your way of conducting the war has been rather insulting to us.”

”You don't mean to say,” said c.l.i.thering, ”that you really wanted us--to--to shoot in earnest?”

”We did. In fact one of the alternatives which I am empowered to offer you--”

”Offer us! But we--we are--I mean to say that the terms of settlement must, of course, be dictated by us.”

”Not at all,” I said. ”G.o.dfrey, you can't write shorthand, I know; but you must try and take down what I'm going to say now as accurately as possible. I'll speak quite slowly. The Government--I mean, of course, so far as Ulster is concerned, the late Government--your Government--must either conduct the war in a proper business-like way--have you got that down, G.o.dfrey?”

”Do you mean,” said c.l.i.thering, ”that you want us--?”

”I mean,” I said, ”that we have put our money into it. Conroy, in particular, has spent huge sums on cannons. We are determined to have a show of some sort. Your Government must therefore either agree to fight properly and not keep running away every time we get a shot in, or--”

”Yes,” said c.l.i.thering, ”go on.”

”I'm waiting,” I said, ”till G.o.dfrey gets that written down. Have you finished, G.o.dfrey? Very well. Or--now take this down carefully--you English clear out of Ireland altogether, every man of you, except--”

”But--but--but--” said c.l.i.thering.

”And leave us to manage Ireland ourselves. Got that, G.o.dfrey?”

”But,” said c.l.i.thering; ”but--I thought you didn't want Home Rule.”

”We don't. We won't have it at any price.”

”But that is Home Rule of the most extreme kind.”

”There's no use splitting hairs,” I said, ”or discussing finicking points of political nomenclature. The point for you to grasp is that those are our terms.”

”Will you excuse me?” said c.l.i.thering. ”This is all rather surprising.

May I call up the Prime Minister on the telephone?”

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