--but you know what Mr.
Babberly is. He's splendid in Parliament and on a platform; perfectly
splendid. We've nobody like him. But he might not quite suit Mr.
Conroy. Then poor dear Colonel Malcolmson does talk such nonsense. Of
course it's very good in its way, and I do hope the Liberals will lay
to heart what he says about fighting before it's too late--"

"Mr. Conroy is a business man," I said, "and has a reputation for
shrewdness."

"That's just it," said Lady Moyne, "and the others--the Dean and that
curious Mr. Cahoon. They're dears, perfect dears in the way they stand
up for the Union and the Empire, but--" She shrugged her shoulders,
and smiled.

"I quite understand," I said; "but, after all, I'm rather an old bore,
too."

"You!" said Lady Moyne. "You're a literary man, and that's so rare,
you know, in our class. And, besides, you're a Liberal. I don't mean
in any offensive sense of the word; only just that you're not a party
man. I must run away now; but you will do your best with Mr. Conroy,
won't you? We want a big subscription from him."

The Dean caught me a little later in the morning, and, though I told
him I had letters to write, he insisted on explaining to me that, as a
clergyman, he considered it wrong to take any active part in politics.

"The Church," he said, "cannot allow herself to become attached to any
party. She must stand above and beyond party, a witness to divine and
eternal righteousness in public affairs."

I am, on the whole, glad that I heard the Dean say this. I should
certainly have believed he was taking a side in politics, if he had
not solemnly assured me that he was not. I might even have thought,
taking at their face value certain resolutions passed by its General
Synod, that the Church was, more or less, on the side of the
Unionists, if the Dean had not explained to me that she only appeared
to be on their side because they happened to be always in the right,
but that she would be quite as much on the side of the Liberals if
they would only drop their present programme which happened in every
respect to be morally wrong. This cleared my mind for me, and I felt
quite ready to face Conroy at luncheon, and dispel any difficulties he
might feel about the Church and politics.

CHAPTER VIII

Mr. Conroy arrived at luncheon-time, and Lady Moyne took him in hand
at once. I watched her talking to him during the meal and afterwards
when they walked together round the la