ind ourselves taking
governments and officials seriously. Just imagine! To live under a
bureaucracy and not to see that it was funny! Surely it's worth while
fighting for the right to laugh."

"You Irish!" said Ascher. "Even in times like this your love of
paradox----"

"Don't say it," I said. "If you can possibly help it don't say that. I
admit that I brought it on myself and deserve it. I apologise. That is
not my real reason for going back to my regiment. I only gave it to you
because I don't know what my real reason is. It's not patriotism. I
haven't got any country to be patriotic about. It's not any silly belief
in liberty or democracy. I don't know why I'm doing it. I just have to.
That's all."

"Noblesse oblige," said Ascher. "Your honour as a gentleman."

I shuddered. Ascher--there is no other way of putting it--is grossly
indecent. A woman has a sense of modesty about her body. It would be
considered an outrage to strip her and leave her stark naked in the
middle of the room. I cannot see why a man should not be credited with
some feeling of modesty about his soul. I detest having my last garments
plucked from me in public. Complete spiritual nudity causes me very
great embarrassment.

"You can put it that way if you like," I said. "The plain fact is I
can't help myself. I must go back to my regiment. I have no choice."

"I have come to see," said Ascher, "that I have no choice either. There
is such a thing, though perhaps Mr. Gorman will not believe me--there is
such a thing as the honour of a banker. It compels me."

He put his arm round his wife's waist as he spoke. Still holding her
hands in one of his, he led her from the room. Her head drooped against
his shoulder as they went out.

"I suppose that means," said Gorman, "that he's going to stick it out
and see the thing through. It will be infernally awkward for him. I
don't think he realises how nasty it will be. He hasn't considered that
side of it."

"A man doesn't consider that side of things," I said, "when he's up
against it as Ascher is."

"Well, I'll do my best about the naturalisation papers. That'll be some
help."

"It's very hard to be sure," I said, "but I'm inclined to think that
Ascher is right."

"He's utterly wrong," said Gorman. "A man's country ought to come
first always. You don't understand that because you're denationalised;
because, as you say yourself, you have no country. But it's true,
whether you understand it or