"Nothing to worry about," I said. But there was. When I unfolded one of the papers, I found that it was the authority von Gratzen had given me. A fair-sized hole had been charred right through the folds and the tinder dropped as I opened out the sheet. It was hopelessly unreadable and thus useless. "I didn't think I could be such a gorgeous idiot," I exclaimed staring fatuously at the ruin.
"It's serious then?" asked Nessa, who had watched me anxiously.
"Try if you can make anything out of it."
She studied it and shook her head. "A word or two here and there are readable. That's all. What is it?"
"The proof that I ought to be shut up in a lunatic asylum. But it was something that would have taken me anywhere and everywhere through this beastly country and forced every one to help me."
"That's delightfully intelligible," she cried, laughing. "Are you going to keep this up much longer, or tell me things?"
"I'm going to tell you everything; but that silly ass trick of mine has knocked me. I'll smoke a cigarette. You don't mind?"
"Providing you don't put the end in another pocket," she quizzed. "I thought it was agreed we were not to take things too seriously," she added as I lit up.
"I've learnt my lesson." I had indeed. It had cost me the best safe conduct a man could have wished for, and if any unexpected trouble arose, there was now no possibility of undoing the mischief. As the guard passed along the corridor a little later, I decided to report the loss at once, and beckoned to him. "I've had an unfortunate accident," I said. "I'm travelling on special State business and have burnt this very important paper;" and I handed it to him.
He looked at it, turned it over, and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm afraid I can't be of much help, sir."