Julian had heard
their voices for the last few minutes without being able to distinguish
a word of their actual conversation.

"We have considered the document you have brought, Orden," the
Prime Minister said, "and we frankly admit that we find its contents
surprising. The terms of peace suggested form a perfectly possible basis
for negotiations. At the same time, you are probably aware that it has
not been in the mind of His Majesty's Ministers to discuss terms of
peace at all with the present administration of Germany."

"These terms," Julian reminded him, "are dictated, not by the Kaiser and
his advisers, but by the Socialist and Labour Party."

"It is strange," Mr. Stenson pointed out, "that we have heard so little
of that Party. It is even astonishing that we should find them in a
position to be able to dictate terms of peace to the Hohenzollerns."

"You do not dispute the authenticity of the document?" Julian asked.

"I will not go so far as that," Mr. Stenson replied cautiously. "Our
secret service informed us some time ago that Freistner, the head of
the German Socialists, was in communication with certain people in this
country. I have no doubt whatever that these are the proposals of the
authorised Socialist Party of Germany. What I do not understand is how
they have suddenly acquired the strength to induce proposals of peace
such as these."

"It has been suggested," Julian said, "that even the Hohenzollerns, even
the military clique of Germany, see before them now the impossibility of
reaping the rewards of their successful campaigns. Peace is becoming a
necessity to them. They would prefer, therefore, to seem to yield to the
demands of their own Socialists rather than to foreign pressure."

"That may be so," Mr. Stenson admitted. "Let us proceed. The first part
of your duty, Orden, is finished. What else have you to say?"

"I am instructed," Julian announced, "to appeal to you to sue at once,
through the Spanish Ambassador, for an armistice while these terms are
considered and arrangements made for discussing them."

"And if I refuse?"

"I will not evade even that question. Of the twenty-three members of the
new Council of Labour, twenty represent the Trades Unions of the great
industries of the kingdom. Those twenty will unanimously proclaim a
general strike, if you should refuse the proposed armistice."

"In other words," Mr. Stenson observed drily, "they will scuttle the
ship themselves. Do y