I do believe that if
it were not for these fellows the others would be quiet enough."
The Secretary took a little more brandy and water. The sense of
wrong within him was like an open wound, and the brandy inflamed it.
He also began to think that it would not be a bad thing for him if he
could seclude the Major, Caillaud, and Zachariah for a season.
Zachariah in particular he mortally hated.
"What some of these fine folks would like to do, you see, Mr. Hardy,
is to persuade us poor devils to get up the row, while they DIRECT
it. DIRECT it, that's their word; but we're not going to be
humbugged."
"Too wide awake, I should say."
"I should say so too. We are to be told off for the Bank of England,
and they are to show it to us at the other end of Cheapside."
"Bank of England," said Mr. Hardy, laughing; "that's a joke. You
might run your heads a long while against that before you get in.
You don't drink your brandy and water."
The Secretary took another gulp. "And he's a military man--a
military man--a military man." He was getting rather stupid now, and
repeated the phrase each of the three times with increasing
unsteadiness, but also with increasing contempt.
Pages:
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120