第12章

"They have been content to, up to the present," the Prime Minister agreed, "but Europe may still see strange and dramatic events before many years are out."

"Do go on, please," the Countess begged.

Mr. Stenson shook his head.

"Even as a private individual I have said more than I intended," he replied. "I have only one thing to say about the war in public, and that is that we are winning, that we must win, that our national existence depends upon winning, and that we shall go on until we do win. The obstacles between us and victory, which may remain in our minds, are not to be spoken of."

There was a brief and somewhat uncomfortable pause. It was understood that the subject was to be abandoned. Julian addressed a question to the Bishop across the table. Lord Maltenby consulted Doctor Lennard as to the date of the first Punic War.

Mr. Stenson admired the flowers. Catherine, who had been sitting with her eyes riveted upon the Prime Minister, turned to her neighbour.

"Tell me about your amateur journalism, Mr. Orden?" she begged.

"I have an idea that it ought to be interesting."

"Deadly dull, I can assure you."

"You write about politics? Or perhaps you are an art critic? I ought to be on my best behaviour, in case."

"I know little about art," he assured her. "My chief interest in life - outside my profession, of course - lies in sociology."

His little confession had been impulsive. She raised her eyebrows.

"You are in earnest, I believe!" she exclaimed. "Have I really found an Englishman who is in earnest?"

"I plead guilty. It is incorrect philosophy but a distinct stimulus to life."

"What a pity," she sighed, "that you are so handicapped by birth!

Sociology cannot mean anything very serious for you. Your perspective is naturally distorted."

"What about yourself?" he asked pertinently.

"The vanity of us women!" she murmured. "I have grown to look upon myself as being an exception. I forget that there might be others. You might even be one of our prophets - a Paul Fiske in disguise."

His eyes narrowed a little as he looked at her closely. From across the table, the Bishop broke off an interesting discussion on the subject of his addresses to the working classes, and the Earl set down his wineglass with an impatient gesture.

"Does no one really know," Mr. Stenson asked, "who Paul Fiske is?"

"No one, sir," Mr. Hannaway Wells replied. "I thought it wise, a short time ago, to set on foot the most searching enquiries, but they were absolutely fruitless."

The Bishop coughed.

"I must plead guilty," he confessed, "to having visited the offices of The Monthly Review with the same object. I left a note for him there, in charge of the editor, inviting him to a conference at my house. I received no reply. His anonymity seems to be impregnable."

"Whoever he may be," the Earl declared, "he ought to be muzzled.

He is a traitor to his country."

"I cannot agree with you, Lord Maltenby," the Bishop said firmly.

"The very danger of the man's doctrines lies in their clarity of thought, their extraordinary proximity to the fundamental truths of life."

"The man is, at any rate," Doctor Lennard interposed, "the most brilliant anonymous writer since the days of Swift and the letters of Junius."