ent and the
head-centre of the Fenians, the Right Honourable the First Lord of the
Treasury said, 'That the question would be more properly addressed to
the noble lord the Secretary for Ireland, who was not then in the House.
Meanwhile, sir,' continued he, 'I will take on myself the responsibility of
saying that in this, as in a variety of other cases, the zeal of party has
greatly outstripped the discretion that should govern political warfare.
The exceptional state of a nation, in which the administration of justice
mainly depends on those aids which a rigid morality might disparage--the
social state of a people whose integrity calls for the application of means
the most certain to disseminate distrust and disunion, are facts which
constitute reasons for political action that, however assailable in the
mere abstract, the mind of statesmanlike form will at once accept as solid
and effective, and to reject which would only show that, in over-looking
the consequences of sentiment, a man can ignore the most vital interests of
his country.'"'

'Does he say that they wrote to Donogan?' cried Kilgobbin, whose patience
had been sorely pushed by the Premier's exordium.

'Let me read on, papa.'

'Skip all that, and get down to a simple question and answer, Kitty; don't
read the long sentences.'

'This is how he winds up, papa. "I trust I have now, sir, satisfied the
House that there are abundant reasons why this correspondence should not be
produced on the table, while I have further justified my noble friend for a
course of action in which the humanity of the man takes no lustre from the
glory of the statesman"--then there are some words in Latin--"and the right
hon. gentleman resumed his seat amidst loud cheers, in which some of the
Opposition were heard to join."'

'I want to be told, after all, did they write the letter to say Donogan was
to be let escape?'

'Would it have been a great crime, uncle?' said Nina artlessly.

'I'm not going into that. I'm only asking what the people over us say is
the best way to govern us. I'd like to know, once for all, what was wrong
and what was right in Ireland.'

'Has not the Premier just told you, sir,' replied Nina, 'that it is always
the reverse of what obtains everywhere else?'

'I have had enough of it, anyhow,' cried Dick, who, though not intending
it before, now was carried away by a momentary gust of passion to make the
avowal.

'Have you been in the Cabinet all this t