w pane with her fingers.
My arrival seemed to act like an electric shock upon both of them. It
struck me that to her it was not altogether welcome, but my father was
nervously anxious to impress upon me his satisfaction at my visit.

"Now," he said, drawing his chair up to the table, "we can discuss this
little matter in a business-like way. I am delighted to see you, Guy,
quite delighted."

"What matter?" I asked quietly.

My father coughed and looked towards my stepmother, as though for
guidance. But her face was a blank.

"Guy," he said, "I am sure that you are a young man of common sense.
You will prefer that I speak to you plainly. There are some fools at
our end--I mean at Paris--who think they will be better off for a glance
at the doings of your Military Board. Up to now we have kept them
supplied with a little general information. Lord Blenavon, who is a
remarkably sensible young man, lent us his assistance. I tell you this
quite frankly. I believe that it is best."

He was watching me furtively. I did my best to keep my features
immovable.

"With Lord Blenavon's assistance," my father continued, "we did at first
very well. Since his--er--departure we have not been so fortunate. I
will be quite candid. We have not succeeded at all. Our friends pay
generously, but they pay by results. As a consequence your stepmother
and I are nearly penniless. This fact induces me to make you a
special--a very special--offer."

My stepmother seemed about to speak. She checked herself, however.

"Go on," I said.

My father coughed. There was a bottle upon the table, and he helped
himself from it.

"My nerves," he remarked, "are in a shocking state this morning. Can I
offer you anything?"

I shook my head. My father poured out nearly a glass full of the raw
spirit, diluted it with a little, a very little, water, and drank it
off.

"Your labours, my dear boy," he continued, "I refer, of course, to the
labours of the Military Council, are, I believe, concentrated upon a
general scheme of defence against any possible invasion on the part of
France. Quite a scare you people seem to be in. Not that one can
wonder at it. These military manoeuvres of our friends across the water
are just a little obvious even to John Bull, eh? You don't answer.
Quite right, quite right! Never commit yourself uselessly. It is very
good diplomacy. Let me see, where was I? Ah! The general scheme of
defence is, of course, known to you?"