"Julian's gift of speech must have surprised even himself," the
Bishop remarked. "Of course, we always knew that 'Paul Fiske',
when he was found, must be a brilliant person, but I don't think
that even Julian himself had any suspicion of his oratorical
powers."
"I don't think he had," she agreed. "In his first letter he told
me that it was just like sitting down at his desk to write, except
that all the dull material impedimenta of paper and ink and walls
seemed rolled away, and the men to whom he wished his words to
travel were there waiting. Of course, he is wonderful, but
Phineas Cross, David Sands and some of the others have shown a
positive genius for organisation. That Council of Socialism,
Trades Unionism, and Labour generally, which was formed to bring
us premature peace, seems for the first time to have brought all
Labour into one party, Labour in its very broadest sense, I mean."
"The truth of the matter is," the Bishop pronounced, "that the
people have accepted the dictum that whatever form of
republicanism is aimed at, there must be government. A body of
men who realise that, however advanced their ideas, can do but
little harm. I am perfectly certain--Stenson admits it himself--
that before very long we shall have a Labour Ministry. Who cares?
It will probably be a good ministry--good for the country and
good for the world. There has been too much juggling in
international politics. This war is going to end that, once and
for ever.
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