3M CHARLES STEWART PARNELL [1891
of those men got in in this way.' I said : < Still you are responsible. All these men owe their political existence to you.' * I admit my responsibility. I am telling you what was the practice. I did not build up a party of personal adherents. I took the nominees of others/ he rejoined. c I do not say I was blameless. I have never said it. But was I to have no rest, was I to be always on the watch ?' I broke in : 'A dictator can have no rest, he must be always on the watch/ Without heeding the interruption, he went on, as was his wont, to finish his own train of thought: ' Was no allowance to be made for me ? I can assure you I am a man always ready to make allowances for everyone.' He then shook the ashes from his cigar, stood up, and without another word walked out on the Terrace.
Parnell was right. There was no man more ready to make allowances, no man more ready to forgive and to forget. A member of the party had (in the days before the split) grossly insulted him. This individual was subsequently driven out of the National ranks, though not for this reason, but for his Whig leanings. Afterwards it was suggested that he should be brought back. Parnell at once accepted the suggestion. 'Parnell was quite willing,' this ex-M.P. said to me, ' to take me back, but Healy and Dillon objected, and the matter was let drop.' During the Special Commission it was suggested that Mr. Healy (for whom Parnell could have had no love after the Galway election) should hold a brief. Parnell consented at once. But Davitt strongly objected, and the suggestion was not, therefore, carried out. ' Healy/ said an old Fenian to Parnell, ' seems to have the best political head of all these people.' * He has the only political head among them/ rejoined Parnell.arn say he pratty speeches, and