"An idle word," the Bishop protested, "because at heart we are all
pacifists. There is not one of us who would wilfully choose war instead
of peace. The only question is the price we are prepared to pay."

"Why not leave that to the Government?"

"The Government," the Bishop replied, "are the agents of the people. The
people in this case wish to deal direct."

"Again why?" Julian demanded.

"Because the Government is composed wholly of politicians, politicians
who, in far too many speeches, have pledged themselves to too many
definite things. Still, the Government will have its chance."

"Explain to me," Julian asked, "why, if you are a patriotic society, you
are in secret and illegal communication with Germany?"

"The Germany with whom we are in communication," the Bishop assured his
questioner, "is the Germany who thinks as we do."

"Then you are on a wild-goose chase," Julian declared, "because the
Germans who think as you do are in a hopeless minority."

The Bishop's forefinger was thrust out.

"I have you, Julian," he said. "That very belief which you have
just expressed is our justification, because it is the common belief
throughout the country. I can prove to you that you are mistaken--can
prove it, with the help of that very packet which is responsible for
your incarceration here."

"Explain," Julian begged.

"That packet," the Bishop declared, "contains the peace terms formulated
by the Socialist and Labour parties of Germany."

"Worth precisely the paper it is written on?" Julian scoffed.

"And ratified," the Bishop continued emphatically, "by the three great
men of Germany, whose signatures are attached to that document--the
Kaiser, the Chancellor and Hindenburg."

Julian was electrified.

"Do you seriously mean," he asked, "that those signatures are attached
to proposals of peace formulated by the Socialist and Labour parties of
Germany?"

"I do indeed," was the confident reply. "If the terms are not what we
have been led to expect, or if the signatures are not there, the whole
affair is at an end."

"You are telling me wonderful things, sir," Julian confessed, after a
brief pause.

"I am telling what you will discover yourself to be the truth," the
Bishop insisted. "And, Julian, I am appealing to you not only for
the return of that packet, but for your sympathy, your help, your
partisanship. You can guess now what has happened. Your anonymity has
come to an end. The newly formed Cou