按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
There isn't a single battleship which could be safely spared。 Canada；
Australia； New Zealand； Egypt； India； must take care of themselves。
I wonder when a nation of the world ever played fast and loose with
great possessions as we have done！〃
〃This is a nice sort of thing to hear almost one's first night in
England；〃 Hamel remarked a little gloomily。 〃Tell me some more
about this conference。 Are you sure that your information is
reliable？〃
〃Our information is miserably scanty；〃 Kinsley admitted。 〃Curiously
enough； the man who must know most about the whole thing is an
Englishman； one of the most curious mortals in the British Empire。
A spy of his succeeded in learning more than any of our people； and
without being arrested； too。〃
〃And who is this singular person？〃 Hamel asked。
〃A man of whom you； I suppose； never heard；〃 Kinsley replied。 〃His
name is Fentolin … Miles Fentolin … and he lives somewhere down in
Norfolk。 He is one of the strangest characters that ever lived；
stranger than any effort of fiction I ever met with。 He was in the
Foreign Office once； and every one was predicting for him a brilliant
career。 Then there was an accident … let me see； it must have been
some six or seven years ago … and he had to have both his legs
amputated。 No one knows exactly how the accident happened； and there
was always a certain amount of mystery connected with it。 Since then
he has buried himself in the country。 I don't think； in fact； that he
ever moves outside his place； but somehow or other he has managed to
keep in touch with all the political movements of the day。〃
〃Fentolin；〃 Hamel repeated softly to himself。 〃Tell me； whereabouts
does he live？〃
〃Quite a wonderful place in Norfolk； I believe； somewhere near the
sea。 I've forgotten the name； for the moment。 He has had wireless
telegraphy installed； he has a telegraph office in the house；
half…a…dozen private wires； and they say that he spends an immense
amount of money keeping in touch with foreign politics。 His excuse
is that he speculates largely； as I dare say he does； but just
lately；〃 Kinsley went on more slowly； 〃he has been an object of
anxiety to all of us。 It was he who sent the first agent out to
Germany； to try and discover at least where this conference was to
be held。 His man returned in safety； and he has one over there now
who has not been arrested。 We seem to have lost nearly all of ours。〃
〃Do you mean to say that this man Fentolin actually possesses
information which the Government hasn't as to the intentions of
foreign Powers？〃 Hamel asked。
Kinsley nodded。 There was a slight flush upon his pallid cheeks。
〃He not only has it； but he doesn't mean to part with it。 A few
hundred years ago； when the rulers of this country were men with
blood in their veins； he'd have been given just one chance to tell
all he knew； and hung as a traitor if he hesitated。 We don't do
that sort of thing nowadays。 We rather go in for preserving
traitors。 We permit them even in our own House of Commons。 However；
I don't want to depress you and play the alarmist so soon after your
return to London。 I dare say the old country'll muddle along through
our time。〃
〃Don't be foolish；〃 Hamel begged。 〃There's no other subject of
conversation could interest me half as much。 Have you formed any
idea yourself as to the nature of this conference？〃
〃We all have an idea；〃 Kinsley replied grimly； 〃India for Russia； a
large slice of China for Japan； with probably Australia thrown in；
Alsace…Lorraine for France's neutrality。 There's bribery for you。
What's to become of poor England then？ Our friends are only human；
after all； and it's merely a question of handing over to them
sufficient spoil。 They must consider themselves first： that's the
first duty of their politicians towards their country。〃
〃You mean to say；〃 Hamel asked； 〃that you seriously believe that a
conference is on the point of being held at which France and Russia
are to be invited to consider suggestions like this？〃
〃I am afraid there's no doubt about it；〃 Kinsley declared。 〃Their
ambassadors in London profess to know nothing。 That； of course；
is their reasonable attitude； but there's no doubt whatever that
the conference has been planned。 I should say that to…night we are
nearer war； if we can summon enough spirit to fight； than we have
been since Fashoda。〃
〃Queer if I have returned just in time for the scrap；〃 Hamel remarked
thoughtfully。 〃I was in the Militia once； so I expect I can get a
job； if there's any fighting。〃
〃I can get you a better job than fighting … one you can start on
to…morrow； too；〃 Kinsley announced abruptly； 〃that is if you really
want to help？〃
〃Of course I do；〃 Hamel insisted。 〃I'm on for anything。〃
〃You say that you are entirely your own master for the next six
months？〃
〃Or as much longer as I like；〃 Hamel assented。 〃No plans at all；
except that I might drift round to the Norfolk coast and look up
some of the places where the governor used to paint。 There's a
queer little house … St。 David's Tower； I believe they call it
… which really belongs to me。 It was given to my father； or rather
he bought it； from a man who I think must have been some relative
of your friend。 I feel sure the name was Fentolin。〃
Reginald Kinsley set down his wine…glass。
〃Is your St。 David's Tower anywhere near a place called Salthouse？〃
he asked reflectively。
〃That's the name of the village；〃 Hamel admitted。 〃My father used
to spend quite a lot of time in those parts； and painted at least a
dozen pictures down there。〃
〃This is a coincidence；〃 Reginald Kinsley declared； lighting a
cigarette。 〃I think； if I were you； Dick； I'd go down and claim
my property。〃
〃Tired of me already？〃 Hamel asked； smiling。
Reginald Kinsley knocked the ash from his cigarette。
〃It isn't that。 The fact is； that job I was speaking to you about
was simply this。 We want some one to go down to Salthouse … not
exactly as a spy； you know； but some one who has his wits about him。
We are all of us very curious about this man Fentolin。 There are
o end of rumours which I won't mention to you； for they might only
put you off the scent。 But the man seems to be always intriguing。
It wouldn't matter so much if he were our friend； or if he were
simply a financier； but to tell you the truth； we have cause to
suspect him。〃
〃But he's an Englishman； surely？〃 Hamel asked。 〃The Fentolin who
was my father's friend was just a very wealthy Norfolk squire … one
of the best； from all I have heard。〃
〃Miles Fentolin is an Englishman；〃 Kinsley admitted。 〃It is true；
too； that he comes of a very ancient Norfolk family。 It doesn't do；
however； to build too much upon that。 From all I can learn of him；
he is a sort of Puck； a professional mischief…maker。 I don't
suppose there's anything an outsider could find out which would be
really useful to us； but all the same； if I had the time； I should
certainly go down to Norfolk myself。〃
The conversation drifted away for a while。 Mutual acquaintances
entered； there were several introductions； and it was not until
the two found themselves t