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be easily filed。 Undo my waistcoat； Sarson。 Feel my heart； please。
Feel carefully。 I can see the end of your stethoscope in your
pocket。 Don't scamp it。 I fancied this morning； when I was lying
here alone； that there was something almost like a palpitation … a
quicker beat。 Be very careful； Sarson。 Now。〃
The doctor made his examination with impassive face。 Then he
stepped back。
〃There is no change in your condition； Mr。 Fentolin；〃 he announced。
〃The palpitation you spoke of is a mistake。 You are in perfect
health。〃
Mr。 Fentolin sighed gently。
〃Then；〃 he said； 〃I will now amuse myself by a gentle ride down to
the Tower。 You are entirely satisfied； Sarson？ You are keeping
nothing back from me？〃
The doctor looked at him with grim； impassive face。 〃There is
nothing to keep back；〃 he declared。 〃You have the constitution of
a cowboy。 There is no reason why you should not live for another
thirty years。
Mr。 Fentolin sighed； as though a weight bad been removed from his
heart。
〃I will now；〃 he decided； reaching forward for the handle of his
carriage； 〃go down to the Tower。 It is just possible that a few
days' seclusion might be good for our guest。〃
The doctor turned silently away。 There was no one there to see his
expression as he walked towards the door。
CHAPTER VII
The two men who were supping together in the griliroom at the Cafe
Milan were talking with a seriousness which seemed a little out of
keeping with the rose…shaded lamps and the swaying music of the
band from the distant restaurant。 Their conversation had started
some hours before in the club smoking…room and had continued
intermittently throughout the evening。 It had received a further
stimulus when Richard Hamel； who had bought an Evening Standard on
their way from the theatre a few minutes ago； came across a certain
paragraph in it which he read aloud。
〃Hanged if I understand things over here； nowadays； Reggie！〃 he
declared； laying the paper down。 〃Here's another Englishman
imprisoned in Germany … this time at a place no one ever heard of
before。 I won't try to pronounce it。 What does it all mean？ It's
all very well to shrug your shoulders； but when there are eighteen
arrests within one week on a charge of espionage； there must be
something up。〃
For the first time Reginald Kinsley seemed inclined to discuss the
subject seriously。 He drew the paper towards him and read the
little paragraph； word by word。 Then he gave some further order to
an attentive maitre d'hotel and glanced around to be sure that they
were not overheard。
〃Look here； Dick； old chap；〃 he said； 〃you are just back from abroad
and you are not quite in the hang of things yet。 Let me ask you a
plain question。 What do you think of us all？〃
〃Think of you？〃 Hamel repeated； a little doubtfully。 〃Do you mean
personally？〃
〃Take it any way you like；〃 Kinsley replied。 Look at me。 Nine
years ago we played cricket in the same eleven。 I don't look much
like cricket now； do I？〃
Hamel looked at his companion thoughtfully。 For a man who was
doubtless still young； Kinsley had certainly an aged appearance。
The hair about his temples was grey； there were lines about his
mouth and forehead。 He had the air of one who lived in an
atmosphere of anxiety。
〃To me；〃 Hamel declared frankly； 〃you look worried。 If I hadn't
heard so much of the success of your political career and all the
rest of it； I should have thought that things were going badly
with you。〃
〃They've gone well enough with me personally；〃 Kinsley admitted；
〃but I'm only one of many。 Politics isn't the game it was。 The
Foreign Office especially is ageing its men fast these few years。
We've been going through hell； Hamel； and we are up against it now；
hard up against it。〃
The slight smile passed from the lips of Hamel's sunburnt；
good…natured face。 He himself seemed to become infected with
something of his companion's anxiety。
〃There's nothing seriously wrong； is there； Reggie？〃 he asked。
〃Dick；〃 said Kinsley； with a sigh； 〃I am afraid there is。 It's
very seldom I talk as plainly as this to any； one but you are just
the person one can unburden oneself to a little； and to tell you
the truth； it's rather a relief。 As you say； these eighteen arrests
in one week do mean something。 Half of the Englishmen who have been
arrested are； to my certain knowledge； connected with our Secret
Service； and they have been arrested； in many cases； where there are
no fortifications worth speaking of within fifty miles； on one
pretext or another。 The fact of the matter is that things are going
on in Germany； just at the present moment； the knowledge of which is
of vital interest to us。〃
〃Then these arrests；〃 Hamel remarked；〃 are really bona fide？〃
〃Without a doubt；〃 his companion agreed。 〃I only wonder there have
not been more。 I am telling you what is a pretty open secret when
I tell you that there is a conference due to be held this week at
some place or another on the continent…I don't know where； myself
… which will have a very important bearing upon our future。 We know
just as much as that and not much more。〃
〃A conference between whom？ 〃 Hamel asked。
Kinsley dropped his voice almost to a whisper。
〃We know；〃 he replied； 〃that a very great man from Russia； a greater
still from France； a minister from Austria； a statesman from Italy；
and an envoy from Japan； have been invited to meet a German minister
whose name I will not mention； even to you。 The subject of their
proposed discussion has never been breathed。 One can only suspect。
When I tell you that no one from this country was invited to the
conference； I think you will be able； broadly speaking； to divine
its purpose。 The clouds have been gathering for a good many years；
and we have only buried our heads a little deeper in the sands。 We
have had our chances and wilfully chucked them away。 National
Service or three more army corps four years ago would have brought
us an alliance which would have meant absolute safety for twenty…one
years。 You know what happened。 We have lived through many rumours
and escaped； more narrowly than most people realise； a great many
dangers； but there is every indication this time that the end is
really coming。〃
〃And what will the end be？〃 Hamel enquired eagerly。
Kinsley shrugged his shoulders and paused while their glasses were
filled with wine。
〃It will be in the nature of a diplomatic coup；〃 he said presently。
〃Of that much I feel sure。 England will be forced into such a
position that she will have no alternative left but to declare war。
That； of course； will be the end of us。 With our ridiculously
small army and absolutely no sane scheme for home defence； we shall
lose all that we have worth fighting for … our colonies … without
being able to strike a blow。 The thing is so ridiculously obvious。
It has been admitted time after time by every sea lord and every
commander…in…chief。 We have listened to it； and that's all。 Our
fleet is needed under present conditions to protect our own shores。
There isn't a single battleship which could be safely spared。 Canada；
Australia