“Thank you. As I was saying, Banat’s failure made more work for me. But now my irritation has passed. Indeed, I am quite enjoying the trip. I like myself as an archæologist. I was a little nervous at first, but as soon as I saw that I had succeeded in boring you I knew that all was well.” He held up the book he had been reading. “If you would like a record of my little speeches I can recommend this. It is entitled ‘The Sumerian Pantheon’ and is by Fritz Haller. His qualifications are given on the title page: ten years with the German Institute in Athens, the period at Oxford, the degrees: it is all here. He seems to be an ardent disciple of Spengler. He quotes the Master a great deal. There is a nostalgic little preface which was most helpful and you will find the piece about eternal truths on page three hundred and forty-one. Naturally I paraphrased a little here and there to suit my own mood. And I drew freely on some of the longer footnotes. You see, the effect I wanted to create was that of an erudite but loveable old bore. I think you will agree that I did well.”
“So there is a Haller?”
Moeller pursed his lips. “Ah, yes. I was sorry to inconvenience him and his wife, but there was no other way. When I found that you were to leave on this boat I decided that it would be helpful if I travelled with you. Obviously I could not have booked a passage at the last moment without attracting Colonel Haki’s attention; I therefore took over Haller’s tickets and passport. He and his wife were not pleased. But they are good Germans, and when it was made plain to them that their country’s interests must come before their own convenience, they gave no more trouble. In a few days their passport will be returned to them with their own photographs restored to it. My only embarrassment has been the Armenian lady who is doing duty for Frau Professor Haller. She speaks very little German and is virtually a half-wit. I have been forced to keep her out of the way. I had no time to make better arrangements, you see. As it was, the man who found her for me had quite a lot of trouble convincing her that she wasn’t being carried off to an Italian bordello. Female vanity is sometimes extraordinary.” He produced a cigarette-case. “I hope you don’t mind my telling you all these little things, Mr. Graham. It’s just that I want to be frank with you. I think that an atmosphere of frankness is essential to any business discussion.”
“Business?”
“Just so. Now do please sit down and smoke. It will do you good.” He held out the cigarette-case. “Your nerves have been a little jumpy to-day, haven’t they?”
“Say what you want to say and get out!”
Moeller chuckled. “Yes, certainly a little jumpy!” He looked suddenly solemn. “It is my fault, I’m afraid. You see, Mr. Graham, I could have had this little talk with you before, but I wanted to make sure that you would be in a receptive frame of mind.”
Graham leaned against the door. “I think that the best way I can describe my state of mind at the moment is to tell you that I have been seriously considering kicking you in the teeth. I could have done so from here before you could have used your gun.”
Moeller raised his eyebrows. “And yet you didn’t do it? Was it the thought of my white hairs that stopped you, or was it your fear of the consequences?” He paused. “No answer? You won’t mind if I draw my own conclusions, will you?” He settled himself a little more comfortably. “The instinct for self-preservation is a wonderful thing. It is so easy for people to be heroic about laying down their lives for the sake of principles when they do not expect to be called upon to do so. When, however, the smell of danger is in their nostrils they are more practical. They see alternatives not in terms of honour or dishonour, but in terms of greater or lesser evils. I wonder if I could persuade you to see my point of view.”
Graham was silent. He was trying to fight down the panic which had seized him. He knew that if he opened his mouth he would shout abuse until his throat ached.