I found some satisfaction in his nervousness; it told me that
he feared me. "What place is this; a palace?"
"Answer this question, sir: Why did you cross the frontier when you
were expressly forbidden to do so?"
"I forbidden to cross the frontier?" My astonishment was
indescribable. "Young man, you have made a blunder of some sort. I am
not a Socialist or an Anarchist. I have never been forbidden to cross
the frontier of any country. Your Chancellor is one of the best
friends I have in the world. I went to school with his son."
He rocked to and fro on the table, laughing honestly and heartily.
"You do not lack impudence. Are you, or are you not, the London
correspondent of the New York ------?"
"I certainly am."
"You admit it?" eagerly.
"I see no earthly reason why I should not."
"When did you last visit this city?"
"Several years ago."
"Several years ago?" incredulously.
"Exactly. Have you ever seen me before?"
"No. But it was a little less than two years ago when you were here."
"It is scarcely polite," said I, "to question the veracity of a man you
never saw before and of whom you know positively nothing.
Pages:
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106