"The point is," said Babberly, "that if you are on the platform it
will be quite clear--I mean to say as it's generally understood that
you're inclined to Liberalism--"
I began to understand a little. Last time I was at Castle Affey Lady
Moyne made a great point of my associating myself with her party in
opposing Home Rule. The fact that I was a Liberal (though not in any
offensive sense of the word) gave weight to the opposition; and I
might help to make the other Liberals (who were Liberals in the most
offensive possible sense) take the threats of Babberly seriously. This
time I was to sit on the platform side by side with Malcolmson and
Cahoon, because, being a Liberal, or rather suspected of being
inclined to Liberalism, my presence might induce the other Liberals,
who were Liberals indeed, not to take Babberly's remarks at their face
value. That is the drawback to the kind of detached position which I
occupy. I am liable to be used for such various purposes that I get
confused. However, I ought, no doubt, to be very thankful that I am
useful in any way.
"If you think, my dear Lady Moyne," I said, "that my presence at the
March Past will be of the slightest service to you--"
"It will," she said. "It will, indeed, of the very greatest service,
and Moyne will be delighted."
I was thinking of Moyne when I made the promise. I do not mean to say
that I should have undertaken to perch myself like a fool on a wooden
platform in the middle of a mob simply out of friendship for Moyne. I
would not have done it unless Lady Moyne had looked at me with a
particular expression in her eyes, unless I had hoped that she would
give my hand a little squeeze of intimate friendship when I was
bidding her good night. Still I did think of Moyne too, and was quite
genuinely pleased that I was able to help him out of a difficult
position.
I found him later on roaming about among the cucumber frames in a
desolate corner of the garden. A man who was digging potatoes directed
me to that curious retreat.
"It's all right, Moyne," I said. "We've got the whole thing settled
most satisfactorily. You needn't be afraid of any disagreeable public
scandal."
"Thank God!" said Moyne, fervently. "How did you manage it?"
"I can't take any credit for the arrangement," I said. "Lady Moyne and
Babberly had it all cut and dried before they consulted me at all."
"What are they going to do?"
"Well, in the first place they've got Malcolmson and the rest of that
lot to stop calling the thing a Review. It's to be officially known
for the future as a March Past."
"Who is to march past what?" said Moyne.
"I forgot to ask that," I said, "but I rather fancy the audience is to
march past you."
"I don't see," said Moyne, "that there's much difference between
calling it a March Past and calling it a Review. They're both military
terms; and what I object to is being associated with--"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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