answering.

"Well," he said, "the worst possibility is a riot, engineered by
the Socialists. If that is successful, it means a certain delay
of at least several years; and, at the worst, it means that the
Socialists will increase enormously throughout Europe. And then
anything may happen."

"But I thought that all real danger was past, and that the
Socialists were discredited."

"Certainly, in one sense. In every country, that is to say, they
are in a negligible minority. But if all these minorities are
added together, they are not negligible at all. The Cabinet has
produced this Bill suddenly, as of course you know, in order to
prevent any large Continental demonstration, as this would
certainly have a tremendous effect upon England. But it seems
that they've been organizing for months. They must have known
this was coming . . ."

"And if the Socialists fail?"

"Well, then they'll make their last stand in Germany. But you
know this better than I do, Monsignor?"

"I know a good deal here and there," confessed the other;
"but I find it hard sometimes to combine it all. I had an
illness, you know----"

"Ah, yes; yes."

They paused for breath in an embrasure in the wall, where a
section of a half-tower supported the wall, itself running down
on to the cliff side. A couple of windows gave a view of the sea,
now a dark gulf under the cloudy sky, sprinkled with a few moving
lights, here and there, of vessels going up or down the Channel.

"And suppose the Bill passes?" began the priest.

"If the Bill passes, we need fear nothing in England if it passes
with a good majority. You know Government is an extraordinarily
delicate machine nowadays; and if the Bill goes through really
well, it'll be an infallible sign that the country refuses to
take alarm. And if it fails, or only narrowly passes--well, it'll
be the other way. The whole work will have to be done again, or
at least begun----"

He faced round suddenly.

"Monsignor," he said, "I wouldn't say this to everyone. But I
tell you we're at a very critical moment. These Socialists are
stronger than any one dreamed. Their organization is simply
perfect. Do you know any of them?"

"I have met Hardy."

"That's a brilliant man, you know."

They talked no more during the rest of the ascent, until they
emerged at last on to the top of the round keep, where the old
bonfires used to burn, and where the old iron cradle, used even
now at coronations and great nat