This is my view, or my imagining, of what occurred.  The conference was called because the various leaders felt that a hostile movement was projected by the Government, and that the times were exceedingly black for them.  Neither Mr. Birrell nor Sir Mathew Nathan had any desire that there should be a conflict in Ireland during the war.  This cannot be doubted.  From such a conflict there might follow all kinds of political repercussions; but although the Government favoured the policy of laissez faire, there was a powerful military and political party in Ireland whose whole effort was towards the disarming and punishment of the Volunteers—­particularly I should say the punishment of the Volunteers.  I believe, or rather I imagine, that Professor MacNeill was approached at the instance of Mr. Birrell or Sir Mathew Nathan and assured that the Government did not meditate any move against his men, and that so long as his Volunteers remained quiet they would not be molested by the authorities.  I would say that Professor MacNeill gave and accepted the necessary assurances, and that when he informed his conference of what had occurred, and found that they did not believe faith would be kept with them, he resigned in the dispairing hope that his action might turn them from a purpose which he considered lunatic, or, at least, by restraining a number of his followers from rising, he might limit the tale of men who would be uselessly killed.

He was not alone in his vote against a rising.  The O’Rahilly and some others are reputed to have voted with him, but when insurrection was decided on, the O’Rahilly marched with his men, and surely a gallant man could not have done otherwise.

When the story of what occurred is authoritatively written (it may be written) I think that this will be found to be the truth of the matter, and that German intrigue and German money counted for so little in the insurrection as to be negligible.

CHAPTER X.

Some of the leaders.

Meanwhile the insurrection, like all its historical forerunners, has been quelled in blood.  It sounds rhetorical to say so, but it was not quelled in peasoup or tisane.  While it lasted the fighting was very determined, and it is easily, I think, the most considerable of Irish rebellions.

The country was not with it, for be it remembered that a whole army of Irishmen, possibly three hundred thousand of our race, are fighting with England instead of against her.  In Dublin alone there is scarcely a poor home in which a father, a brother, or a son is not serving in one of the many fronts which England is defending.  Had the country risen, and fought as stubbornly as the Volunteers did, no troops could have beaten them—­well that is a wild statement, the heavy guns could always beat them—­but from whatever angle Irish people consider this affair it must appear to them tragic and lamentable beyond expression, but not mean and not unheroic.