“We realize it,” I said, “but we don’t altogether appreciate it. In fact, we feel that your way of conducting the war has been rather insulting to us.”
“You don’t mean to say,” said Clithering, “that you really wanted us—to—to shoot in earnest?”
“We did. In fact one of the alternatives which I am empowered to offer you—”
“Offer us! But we—we are—I mean to say that the terms of settlement must, of course, be dictated by us.”
“Not at all,” I said. “Godfrey, you can’t write shorthand, I know; but you must try and take down what I’m going to say now as accurately as possible. I’ll speak quite slowly. The Government—I mean, of course, so far as Ulster is concerned, the late Government—your Government—must either conduct the war in a proper business-like way—have you got that down, Godfrey?”
“Do you mean,” said Clithering, “that you want us—?”
“I mean,” I said, “that we have put our money into it. Conroy, in particular, has spent huge sums on cannons. We are determined to have a show of some sort. Your Government must therefore either agree to fight properly and not keep running away every time we get a shot in, or—”
“Yes,” said Clithering, “go on.”
“I’m waiting,” I said, “till Godfrey gets that written down. Have you finished, Godfrey? Very well. Or—now take this down carefully—you English clear out of Ireland altogether, every man of you, except—”
“But—but—but—” said Clithering.