is a thoroughgoing Unionist, who would think it midsummer
madness to hand Ireland over to the 'Home Rule' of the 'uncrowned king,'
Mr. Parnell, who hasn't a drop, I believe, of Irish blood in his veins,
and who, whatever else he may be, is certainly not a Catholic. Didn't
Parnell vote at first against religion and in favour of Bradlaugh? and
didn't he do this to force the bargain for the clerical franchise at the
Parliamentary conventions?"

"But there are some good Catholics, are there not," I answered, "and
some good Christians, and of Irish blood too, among the associates of
Mr. Parnell?"

"Associates!" he exclaimed; "if you know anything of Mr. Parnell, you
must know that he has no associates. He has followers, and he has
instruments, but he has no associates. The only Irishmen whom he has
really taken counsel with, or treated, I was about to say, with ordinary
civility, were Egan and Brennan. His manner with them was always
conspicuously different from his cold and almost contemptuous bearing
towards the men whom he commands in Parliament, and Egan, who directs
his forces in your country, rewards him by calling him 'the great and
gifted leader of _our_ race!' 'Our race' indeed! Parnell comes of the
conquering race in Ireland, and he never forgets it, or lets his
subordinates forget it. I was in Galway when he came over there suddenly
to quell the revolt organised by Healy. The rebels were at white-heat
before he came. But he strode in among them like a huntsman among the
hounds--marched Healy off into a little room, and brought him out again
in ten minutes, cowed and submissive, but filled, as anybody can see,
ever since, with a dull smouldering hate which will break out one of
these days, if a good and safe opportunity offers."

"How do you account, then," I asked, "for the support which all these
men give Mr. Parnell?"

"For the support which they give him!" exclaimed my new acquaintance,
"for the support they give him! Bless your heart, my dear sir, it is he
gives them the support! Barring Biggar, who, to do him justice, is as
free with his pocket as he is with his tongue--and no man can say more
for anybody than that--barring Biggar and M'Kenna and M'Carthy, and
perhaps a dozen more, all these men are nominated by Mr. Parnell, and
draw salaries from the body he controls; they are paid members, like the
working-men members. Support indeed!"

"But the constituencies," I urged, "surely the voters must know an