back
to bed? You'll be safe there, and it won't really matter much whether
your telegram goes to the Prime Minister or not. A little sleep will
do you all the good in the world."

"We have murdered sleep," said Clithering.

I never realized the full immensity of Clithering's fatuousness until
he uttered that mangled quotation from Macbeth in the tone of an
old-fashioned tragedian. I believe the man actually revelled in
harrowing emotion. It would not have surprised me to hear him assure
me that the "multitudinous seas" would not wash out the blood-stains
from his hands. He might very well have asked for "some sweet
oblivious antidote." If he had known the passages I am sure he would
have quoted them.

"Do go to bed," I said.

Then Bland came in leading Godfrey with him.

"I rescued him," said Bland, "without very much difficulty."

"I call it frightful cheek," said Godfrey, "fellows like that who
ought to be touching their hats to me and saying 'Sir' when they speak
to me--Fancy them daring--"

This view of the matter was very characteristic of Godfrey. I really
believe that he would dislike being hanged much less if the
executioner were one of the small class of men whom he recognizes as
his social equals.

"They gave him quite a fair trial," said Bland, "and had just
condemned him when--"

"That fellow Crossan in particular," said Godfrey.

"The Colonel ran round to tell you," said Bland. "I rather fancy they
wanted to get off carrying out the sentence if they could."

"A lot of fellows," said Godfrey sulkily, "who ought to be wheeling
barrows! But it's very largely your fault, Excellency. You always
encouraged that class. If you'd kept them in their proper places--"

"What on earth brought you to Belfast?" I said. "Why didn't you stay
at home? Nobody wants you here. Why did you come?"

Godfrey looked uneasily at Bland. He evidently did not want to make
his reason for coming to Belfast public property. Godfrey is usually
quite shameless. I could only imagine that he had done something of a
peculiarly repulsive kind.

"Well," I said, "why did you come?"

He looked at Bland again, and then nodded sideways at me.

"I suppose," I said, "that you thought there might be some assessment
made by the Government of the amount of damage done in the town, and
that if you started valuing things at once on your own hook, you might
possibly get a job out of it."

"But is there?" said Godfrey eagerly; "for if