Chapter 44
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Counter-Recruitment
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Autonomy and independence.
Though they may seem similar, these two paths are fundamentally irreconcilable and can never converge.
"If that is truly your will, then so be it. To challenge, to fail, and to overcome is a privilege reserved for the young. It was a pleasure today."
Daniel O'Connell, having confirmed that no amount of persuasion could change my mind, prepared to rise from his seat.
But I had no intention of letting him go so easily.
From our conversation thus far, Daniel O'Connell's devotion to Ireland was undoubtedly genuine.
Moreover, his persistent attempts to persuade and recruit me made it easy to guess his purpose for being here.
I couldn't let such a big fish get away.
"Mr. O'Connell, if you don't mind, could you answer just one question before you leave?"
"That shouldn't be a problem. Go ahead."
"This is an extension of our earlier conversation. If a great disaster were to befall Ireland, causing immense damage but also igniting a definitive call for independence, would you simply stand by and watch?"
"Nonsense! I have no need for public opinion that must be kindled with the lives of countless countrymen as firewood!"
"Right? I think so too. Ah, that was just a meaningless question; what I really wanted to ask was something else. Was your reason for trying to persuade me perhaps to draw me into the independence faction?"
This time, he didn't answer immediately as before.
O'Connell looked at me for a moment, then clicked his tongue softly and fiddled with his sideburns.
"Was it that obvious?"
"You kept telling me to change my mind."
"Well, there's no reason to hide it, so I'll be frank. Prime Minister Grey told me that your rise, backed by the Tory Party, would become a great threat to me. His intention was likely to instill a sense of crisis regarding the Tories and draw us to the Whig side."
His experience in politics is clearly no joke; he saw right through that scheme.
"The Prime Minister probably calculated that even if you knew, Mr. O'Connell, you would ultimately take the Whigs' hand."
"I suppose so. He must have thought I wouldn't be able to persuade you, and in the end, he was right. Still, it's a shame. In truth, the age gap between us is so vast that we could never truly be rivals. By the time you seriously enter politics, I'll either be in my coffin or retired."
"Your coffin? You must continue to watch over Ireland and see how much further it can progress."
"Haha, I would have no greater wish, but that's not the real issue. The biggest problem is that I am growing older by the day with no successor to follow me. That's why I had secretly hoped. If you were to change your mind, perhaps you could succeed me and become a steadfast pillar for Ireland."
Before I could respond, O'Connell waved his hand dismissively and continued.
"Betraying the Tory Party might be a concern, but if we brought in the Whigs, that could be offset, so there would be no need to worry. If you, the heir to a family that has accumulated considerable influence in northern Ireland, also became my successor, it's not hard to imagine how great your influence would be, is it? But since you won't abandon the path of autonomy... it seems this is all just a futile discussion."
Indeed, if I could absorb Daniel O'Connell's influence, I could far more easily turn Ireland into my personal organization.
Of course, I had not the slightest intention of bowing my head and serving under O'Connell, so the matter of succession was not even worth discussing.
"But Mr. O'Connell, is it really necessary for me to change my path and become your successor for us to cooperate?"
"...What? What do you mean? I have no intention of ever abandoning the path of independence, and you consider it impossible. Of course, cooperation is impossible."
"No. As you said, Mr. O'Connell, I am still young. By the time I become truly active, you will be on the verge of retirement, so there is no reason for us to be at odds right now. Rather, I believe we need to cooperate to expand Ireland's influence."
O'Connell, who had been about to stand as if to leave, sat back down in an awkward posture.
"Continue."
"The Prime Minister will tell you that the Tory Party will exert powerful influence over Ireland in the future, and to prevent that, you must join hands with the Whigs. But let's think about this calmly. If you cooperate with the Whigs, Mr. O'Connell, will you be able to wield any real influence within their party?"
"..."
"The Whig Party already holds a substantial majority of seats on its own. If you join them, the only thing you'll be able to do is act as a rubber stamp, meaningful only when the party itself is divided."
Currently, the Whig Party holds 441 of the 658 seats in the House of Commons by itself.
Even if O'Connell's party, with its 42 seats, were to join, they would be nothing more than, to put it crudely, lackeys.
O'Connell must know this better than anyone, which is likely why he couldn't immediately accept Grey's proposal.
"That is certainly a sharp point, but it's not as if we can join hands with the Tories, can we? The Tory Party opposes every single reform for Ireland. No, even if they were to change their stance, combining our party with theirs would still leave us far short of a majority, making it just as meaningless."
"That may be true now. But will it be the same after the next election? You may not have guessed, but the current Irish Church Reform Bill will absolutely not pass."
"...Why is that? If the majority Whig Party is determined to pass it, the Tories would have no way to stop them. Or are you implying the House of Lords or His Majesty will exercise their veto? They may have the authority, but a veto is not something to be used lightly."
In the Britain of today, parliamentary democracy was putting down ever deeper roots.
Just as O'Connell said, if the Upper House or the King were to exercise an unconditional veto, public opinion would erupt. Unfortunately, this time was an exception.
"That's a simple matter. The Tories just need to stir up sentiment by claiming this bill is a handout to Ireland and that they must oppose it for the sake of good Anglicans. Besides, I understand His Majesty is also opposed to this reform bill. It's practically impossible for a bill to pass when the Church, the House of Lords, and His Majesty the King are all united against it."
As far as I knew, the issues related to the Church of Ireland and tithes were eased gradually over a long period.
In other words, this reform bill, which attempted to slash the number of bishops and overhaul the tithe system all at once, would have been rejected in the original history as well.
"So if this ambitiously pushed reform bill fails, the Whigs' approval rating will drop, and the situation will change in the next election? That sounds a bit too optimistic. Of course, there will be some damage, but the current gap in seats between the Whigs and the Tories is too large to be overturned by that alone."
"If it were just that one issue, perhaps. But what if the conflict between the ruling party and His Majesty the King comes to the surface?"
"His Majesty and the Whigs will clash?"
"Yes, I am in regular correspondence with His Majesty regarding Princess Victoria's education as heir. While he hasn't stated it directly, His Majesty feels burdened by the Whigs' current reformist drive. Although he has gotten along well with the Whigs until now, his natural inclinations are closer to conservative."
"So he will try to put the brakes on the Whigs' excessive growth and side with the Tories?"
I presented it as a rational deduction, but it was actually closer to a prophecy based on historical fact.
In my memory, William IV was the last monarch in British history to appoint a prime minister against the will of Parliament.
However, even after such a drastic move, the Conservative Party lost the election, and no prime minister was ever appointed against Parliament's will again.
So, if I use this situation well, couldn't I create a result quite different from the original history?
"Unlike the Whigs, who can secure a majority on their own, the Tories still lack that power. But what if all of Ireland turns its back on the Whigs? We can create a situation where neither the Tories nor the Whigs can form a majority, and you, Mr. O'Connell, could play the role of the casting voter."
"Wait. Let me gather my thoughts. What you're saying... it's not an impossible scenario..."
"I will give the Tories a heads-up. I'll tell them that while the current reform bill cannot be passed as is, if they were to ease the tithe system, which most sensitively affects the daily lives of the Irish people, you would be willing to side with them."
"Do you really think the hidebound conservatives of the Tory Party will listen to that?"
"As you know, recently, MPs known as young reformist conservatives have been very active in the Tory Party. You must have heard the names Charles Wellesley and Disraeli, Mr. O'Connell? I am on close terms with them. Being conservative doesn't mean being forever old-fashioned. There are plenty of young talents who believe things cannot continue as they are."
Hearing this completely unexpected story, O'Connell clenched his fist, and my own voice grew stronger as I continued.
"If you wish, you can carry out your independence movement to your heart's content, Mr. O'Connell. In normal times, it doesn't matter whether you side with the Tories or the Whigs. However, when a bill that my colleagues and I truly want to pass is proposed, all you need to do is vote in favor. That will be enough."
"So, I get to make my presence felt at crucial moments, which is good for me, and you and your colleagues gain by expanding your influence within the Tory Party, which would become a de facto majority?"
"You've understood perfectly."
"And if, by the time you make your mark in politics, I still haven't achieved the results I want, you're saying I should step down cleanly without dragging things out disgracefully, since it'll be time for me to retire anyway?"
I didn't intend to put it that way, but he wasn't exactly wrong.
When that time comes, the influence Daniel O'Connell has built in Ireland will be overturned by me in an instant anyway.
"If your methods don't yield results, wouldn't it be fair to give me a chance as well?"
"Hahaha... You truly seem confident that you can rise to the very top of this country. Yes, I was mistaken. You are not a man fit to be my successor. Whether it's Prime Minister or Speaker of the House of Lords, I don't know, but for someone aiming for the pinnacle of this nation, the position of Daniel O'Connell's successor would be meaningless. But what if I had refused your offer and revealed everything that happened here today?"
"You could have. Of course, it's more likely the Whigs would think you were trying to slander a young student who is far too young to even be a rival, rather than believe your words."
"True. No one would believe that a young student, who has only been at Eton for about two years, could possess such cunning. At first, I thought you were just clinging to the Tories, seeking their protection... To think you were actually planning to devour the Tory Party from within."
O'Connell gazed at me for a moment with a mixture of emotions in his eyes, then laughed heartily and extended his hand.
"A student with this level of preparation and nerve... I have no choice but to acknowledge you. Though we may not share the same goal, whoever comes out on top, Ireland will be better off than it is now. It's sad that you cannot share my dream, but just knowing a student like you exists in Ireland makes my shoulders feel a little lighter."
"Then may I understand that you accept my proposal?"
"Yes. On the condition that events unfold as you've said—that His Majesty the King confronts the Whigs and this reform bill is rejected. If not just one, but both of those things come to pass, I will follow your plan without another word. How does that sound?"
"I have no complaints. In fact, that's only natural. I look forward to working with you."
He's accepting my proposal on the condition of things that are bound to happen anyway. Isn't this basically an unconditional acceptance?
I took the hand O'Connell offered and smiled.
It was an unexpected meeting, but I had succeeded in obtaining a result more valuable than anything.
I suppose I should thank the Whigs for throwing Daniel O'Connell at me as a check.
Of course, for now, I'll have to make it seem as though their check was effective.
* * *
About an hour after his conversation with Killian Gore.
Daniel O'Connell headed for the Houses of Parliament to meet Charles Grey, as requested.
"Oh, you're later than expected. I was worried you might have forgotten."
"How could I? The conversation simply went on longer than I thought."
Charles Grey, who had arranged the meeting, had asked to be told what was discussed, and O'Connell had not refused.
However, just as one's feelings change between entering and leaving a lavatory, O'Connell's state of mind was now quite different from before he met Killian.
His very reason for being here now was not to keep his prior promise, but because of Killian's request.
"I'm curious what you talked about for so long."
"I just asked him about this and that. To understand how the Tories intend to use the boy, I needed to learn about him in detail myself."
"A very fair point. So, how was he? I saw him once before myself, and he seemed quite a bright student."
"Bright..."
It wasn't an incorrect description.
But was such a simple adjective sufficient?
With just those words, O'Connell was certain that Grey hadn't grasped even 1% of Killian's true nature.
"You mentioned you met the student at Buckingham Palace before. What was your impression? I'd like to compare it with my own judgment."
"Well... He was very smart, had a subtle strength, and seemed to have an excellent grasp of situations. But because of that, how should I put it? He seemed to know his place better than anyone. He understood the limits of his birth and seemed careful not to cross a certain line. It was pitiable, yet at the same time, it seemed admirable. I felt the Tories have a good eye for talent."
The limits of his birth? Pitiable?
O'Connell let out a dry laugh at Grey's assessment and nodded.
He had said otherwise in front of Killian, but in truth, he had planned to decide his position based on how well Charles Grey had grasped Killian's true worth.
He believed that no matter how capable someone was, if they couldn't conceal it and let their enemies see right through them, it would be too risky to side with them.
However, upon hearing the Prime Minister's assessment, which was so far removed from what he had seen, heard, and felt, he made up his mind for good.
"I felt the same way. He is capable, but he knows his limits and tries not to overstep them. That must be why the Duke of Wellington is fond of him. He would be easy to raise as a hunting dog who would be content as a man of influence in Ireland and not covet a role in central politics."
"In that case... what about the proposal I made earlier?"
"I will consider it favorably. I've come to feel strongly that I need to take someone's hand."
O'Connell bowed to the brightly smiling Prime Minister and left the Parliament building.
It wasn't a lie.
He would consider it favorably, but he never said he would accept.
His statement about feeling the need to take someone's hand was also undoubtedly sincere.
It was just that the hand he intended to take was not the one offered by the Prime Minister.
Of course, he hadn't lied... but what was this strange feeling, as if a bad man and a bad boy from Ireland were colluding behind the scenes?
But O'Connell shook off the thought in a second.
This kind of abom... no, negotiation was the tradition of the British Empire, was it not?
It was only right that Ireland learn such a fine thing.