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Spencer Wyatt pushed his way past a protesting doorkeeper. Hebblethwaite rose to his feet; he seemed to forget Norgate's presence. "You've been down to the Admiralty?" he asked quickly. "Do you know?" Spencer Wyatt pointed to Norgate. His voice shook with emotion. "I know, Hebblethwaite," he replied, "but there's something that you don't know. We were told to mobilise the fleet an hour ago.
He made his way back to the club-house by another angle, gained his taxicab unobserved, and drove back to Ostend. Towards evening Norgate strolled into one of the cosmopolitan bars at the back of the Casino. The first person he saw as he handed over his hat to a waiter, was Selingman, spread out upon a cushioned seat with a young lady upon either side of him.
Then he looked back once more into the restaurant and strolled across the brilliantly-lit street towards the Embassy. Norgate, during his month's stay in Berlin, had already adopted regular habits. On the following morning he was called at eight o'clock and rode for two hours in the fashionable precincts of the city.
"Wants me?" Norgate muttered. "Righto!" He went to the looking-glass, straightened his tie, and made his way towards the Ambassador's private apartments. The latter was alone when he entered, seated before his table. He was leaning back in his chair, however, and apparently deep in thought. He watched Norgate sternly as he crossed the room. "Good morning, sir," the latter said.
Now in this Irish question the action of your Government has been very much misrepresented in that section of our Press and much condemned. I should like to get at the truth from an authoritative source. I should like to get it in such a form that I can present it fairly and honestly to the public of Germany." "That sounds reasonable enough," Norgate admitted. "There are several pamphlets "
"One misses a great deal," Norgate regretted, "through being only an occasional visitor here." "As, for instance?" "The privilege of being one of those fortunate few." She laughed at him. Her eyes were full of challenge. She leaned a little closer and whispered in his ear: "There is still a vacant place." "For to-night or to-morrow?" he asked eagerly. "For to-morrow," she replied.
That is where we Germans are so thorough. See, I place them now all in my bag." He did so and locked it with great care. "We go to dinner, is it not so?" he suggested. "I suppose we may as well," Norgate assented indifferently. They found places in the crowded restaurant car. The manufacturer of crockery made a highly satisfactory and important meal. Norgate, on the other hand, ate little.
"That's the position of every ship we own, at six o'clock this evening," he pointed out. "It's true we are scattered. We are purposely scattered because of the Review. On Monday morning I go down to the Admiralty, and I give the word. Every ship you see represented by those little flags, moves in one direction." "In other words," Norgate remarked, "it is a mobilisation." "Exactly!"
"I'll do the best I can," Norgate promised, "but this is rather a change for me, isn't it? Will Boko come along?" Selingman smiled for a moment, but immediately afterwards his face was almost stern. "Young man," he said, "from the moment you pledged your brains to my service, every action of your day has been recorded.
When Gervase Norgate lifted up his bent head again, all the generosity that had ever looked out of his comely face reappeared in its changed features for a moment. "I have smitten you when you came and tried to cure me, Die. And I cannot cure myself.
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