It was only after Catherine had departed, and the two men
lingered for a moment near the fire before retiring, that either
of them reverted to the great subject which dominated their
thoughts.
"You understand, Julian," the Bishop said, with a shade of anxiety
in his tone, "that I am in the same position as yourself so far as
regards the proposals which may lie within that envelope? I have
joined this movement--or conspiracy, as I suppose it would be
called--on the one condition that the terms pronounced there are
such as a Christian and a law-loving country, whose children have
already made great sacrifices in the cause of freedom, may
honourably accept. If they are otherwise, all the weight and
influence I may have with the people go into the other scale. I
take it that it is so with you?"
"Entirely," Julian acquiesced. "To be frank with you," he added,
"my doubts are not so much concerning the terms of peace
themselves as the power of the German democracy to enforce them."
"We have relied a good deal," the Bishop admitted, "upon reports
from neutrals."
Julian smiled a little grimly.
"We have wasted a good many epithets criticising German
diplomacy," he observed, "but she seems to know how to hold most
of the neutrals in the hollow of her hand. You know what that
Frenchman said? 'Scratch a neutral and you find a German
propaganda agent!'"
The Bishop led the way upstairs. Outside the door of Julian's
room, he laid his hand affectionately upon the young man's
shoulder.
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