d Moyne, "they didn't mean that."

This is a curious view of hymn-singing for a religious man to take.

CHAPTER XIII

I cannot make out why everybody thinks I am a Liberal. Lady Moyne was
the first who mentioned to me this slur on my character. Babberly
evidently believed it. Then, shortly after the Belfast meeting, I had
a letter, marked "Private and Confidential," from Sir Samuel
Clithering. Although Clithering is not a member of the Government, he
is in close touch with several very important Ministers. Under
ordinary circumstances I should not mention Clithering's name in
telling the story of his letter. I know him to be a conscientious,
scrupulously honourable man, and I should hate to give him pain. Under
ordinary circumstances, that is, if things had gone in Ulster in the
way things usually do go, Clithering would have felt it necessary to
assert publicly in the papers that he did not write the letter. This
would have been very disagreeable for him because he does not like
telling lies; and the unpleasantness would certainly be aggravated by
the fact that nobody would believe him. So many important and exciting
things, however, have happened in Ulster since I got the letter that I
do not think Clithering will now want to deny that he wrote it. I
have, therefore, no hesitation in mentioning his name.

This letter was written in the best politico-diplomatic style. I had
to read it nine times before I could find out what it was about. When
I did find out I made a translation of it into the English of ordinary
life, so as to make quite sure of not acting beyond my instructions.
I was first of all complimented on not being a party politician. This,
coming from one of the Government wire-pullers, meant, of course, that
I was in his opinion a strong Liberal. I have noticed for years that
the only party politicians in these islands are the people who are
active on the other side; and that party politics are the other side's
programme. My correspondent evidently agreed with Lady Moyne and
Babberly that as I was not a Conservative, I must be a supporter of
the Government.

Having made this quite unwarranted assumption, the letter went on to
suggest that I should ask Conroy if he would like a peerage. The point
was not made quite clear, but I gathered that Conroy could have any
kind of title that he liked, up to an earldom. I know, of course, that
peerages are given in exchange for subscriptions to party funds,