60 Wyndham on his Political Career \_i-9®2> 



merit, or something like it, as his own ; that Redmond should express 

 his satisfaction with it, and his belief that it would be accepted as satis- 

 factory in Ireland; and that no other amendment should be pressed 

 to a division. Redmond next brought up the evicted tenants question, 

 and here, too, they came, after some fencing, to an amicable agreement. 

 Both talked of the political situation with the greatest frankness. 

 George announced the release of McHugh, which Redmond already 

 knew* of, and he complimented George on having saved Kilbride's life 

 by arresting him, inasmuch as Kilbride was drinking himself to death, 

 and had now come out of gaol a sober and serious character. And so, 

 at the end of about three quarters of an hour, they shook hands, 

 and Redmond departed. George stopped a few minutes to talk it 

 over with me in great delight, and then was off to his Cabinet Council 

 at twelve. This I felt was an historic event, as I saw George into his 

 hansom at the door with his red box — a great day for Chapel Street ! 

 We consider the Bill safe. 



" Later I went to Belgrave Square, where Madeline made me stop 

 and dine alone with her and George. It was one of the most amusing 

 dinners I ever remember, just us three, George in tearing spirits, hav- 

 ing spent the day in a series of encounters of a hair's-breadth kind. 

 He described the Cabinet Council as tres accidente, and then he had 

 had a tussle with the Duke of Abercorn and a number of the most 

 violent landlord extremists, and then one with Dunraven, Mayo, and 

 the rest, — and had succeeded in persuading them all round. As the 

 dinner proceeded he became more and more eloquent, romancing almost 

 like a schoolboy about his political career, describing the dexterities with 

 which he had piloted his ship in the past, and what was to be his fu- 

 ture. To us it was all delightful, and we hope it may all turn out true. 

 George has in him the fire of genius, and whether as leader of the 

 Conservative party, or of Irish Home Rule he will be equally con- 

 spicuous, and as superior to any English party leader as Disraeli was in 

 his day. Then he rushed off back to the House to finish drafting his 

 plans for to-morrow. 



" 24th June. — I lunched in Mount Street, and having met there 

 the Poet Laureate went later to his box at His Majesty's Theatre 

 to see his play, ' Flooden Field ' — a piece of melodrama absurdly acted, 

 which was followed by an adaptation of Kipling's story, ' The man who 

 was.' This last was painful, too painful, in my view, for the stage, 

 though the acting was good. Margaret Sackville was with us. 



" 25^/i June. — The papers announced George's safe passage of the 

 Irish Land Bill Clause I through the House ; and there are amusing 

 comments about ' secret arrangements ' of the quarrel. Anyhow it 

 seems to have been a great Irish triumph, and all Irish parties have 

 been embracing each other. 



