haps at bottom--and
say to them: "Have a feeling heart, boys; put yourself in my
position." I don't believe a bit they'd want to bomb me then.

[He walks up and down.]

PRESS. [Scribbling and muttering] "The idea, of brotherhood--" D'you
mind my saying that? Word brotherhood--always effective--always----

[He writes.]

LORD E. [Bewildered] "Brotherhood!" Well, it's pure accident that
I'm here and they're there. All the same, I can't pretend to be
starving. Can't go out into Hyde Park and stand on a tub, can I?
But if I could only show them what I feel--they're such good chaps--
poor devils.

PRESS. I quite appreciate! [He writes] "Camel and needle's eye."
You were at Eton and Oxford? Your constituency I know. Clubs? But
I can get all that. Is it your view that Christianity is on the
up-grade, Lord William?

LORD W. [Dubious] What d'you mean by Christianity--loving--kindness
and that? Of course I think that dogma's got the knock.

[He walks.]

PRESS. [Writing] "Lord William thought dogma had got the knock."
I should like you just to develop your definition of Christianity.
"Loving--kindness" strikes rather a new note.

LORD W. New? What about the Sermon on the Mount?

PRESS. [Writing] "Refers to Sermon on Mount." I take it you don't
belong to any Church, Lord William?

LORD W. [Exasperated] Well, really--I've been baptised and that
sort of thing. But look here----

PRESS. Oh! you can trust me--I shan't say anything that you'll
regret. Now, do you consider that a religious revival would help to
quiet the country?

LORD W. Well, I think it would be a deuced, good thing if everybody
were a bit more kind.

PRESS. Ah! [Musing] I feel that your views are strikingly
original, Lord William. If you could just open out on them a little
more? How far would you apply kindness in practice?

LORD W. Can you apply it in theory?

PRESS. I believe it is done. But would you allow yourself to be
blown up with impunity?

LORD W. Well, that's a bit extreme. But I quite sympathise with
this chap. Imagine yourself in his shoes. He sees a huge house, all
these bottles; us swilling them down; perhaps he's got a starving
wife, or consumptive kids.

PRESS. [Writing and murmuring] Um-m! "Kids."

LORD W. He thinks: "But for the grace of God, there swill I. Why
should that blighter have everything and I nothing?" and all that.

PRESS. [Writing] "And all that.