“You grudge Ireland independence?” He passed over my interruption. “But, of course, a vigorous national life and a noble national ideal are undeniable advantages. Then how reconcile these two things--the liberty of the nation with the safety of all nations? It is the old difficulty of reconciling anarchy with socialism, those poles with equally strong claims.” He paused and said, “Yes, there is a way out.” “Dominion status?” He nodded. “That will allow Ireland internal development, and that will keep her within the Empire, and there will be no breach made in the nations.” “Do you expect that to be the end?” “I hope so.” He switched his mind elsewhere again. “It’s in bigger things than Ireland I’m interested at bottom. It is in world questions--the class wars and that kind of thing.” “Would you regret working against Communism, if you were ordered to?” “Not necessarily, for one can sympathise with a thing, and yet find it unworkable, and a menace. In the van of all these movements march men with the seed of truth, who are so far ahead of time that if they leapt, and the world leapt after them, the world would fall into the ditch. It is evolution which alone will bring the masses after these people. And so these prophets must be destroyed that the world may not fall into the ditch. I do not hate what I kill. I have nothing against the body that collapses at my feet. I thrust with the sword of my mind. My victim and myself, may we not both be honest men caught in the toils of life?” 47 moved. “Here, I’m freezing. We must get inside.” * * * * * Herself speaking. I was sorry for 47’s wife as Himself and I left her at the top of the uncarpeted stairs. She looked small and tired, and very much alone, and I have no doubt she felt all those things. But I must hurry on. That night witnessed our first raid. It was four in the morning, and bitterly cold. The knock at the door, or rather the crash on the door, was shattering, and brought me straight up in bed. “Go back.” It was Himself on the landing. “Don’t be frightened. It seems to be the Auxiliaries.” I continued to sit up, shivering. There was the rush of many feet, like the rush of hundreds of sheep after being penned up. The house filled at once. “Hands up!” somebody shouted. I visualised Himself shivering on the landing with his hands above his head. “Unarmed. Right. Put ’em down. What’s your name?” Himself gave his name. “Who’s in the house? Who’s in that room?” “My wife.” The door burst open, and armed men raced through into the room beyond. They appeared to look at nothing, but I suppose they took everything in. They had guns strapped up and down their legs and round their bodies, and balmoral bonnets on the backs of their heads. One immense specimen was left to guard me. He stood by the empty fireplace and eyed me. I eyed him back again. Presently he smiled. “You look cold,” I said, for he was shaking under his heavy coat.