Pachmann started violently, and a wave of angry red swept over his face.
"Impossible!" he cried. "Impossible! To that we can never consent!"
Vard smiled at his emotion.
"Why not?" he asked, ironically.
"Because," shouted Pachmann, "Elsass and Lorraine are German—they were stolen from Germany by France two centuries ago."
"They were not German—they were independent states; and they are not German now. They are French. However, I am quite willing to leave the final decision to the people of those provinces. You cannot object to that!"
Pachmann shifted his cigar from one corner of his mouth to the other. His face was livid.
"Beware that you do not attempt too much, my dear sir," he said, and there was in his voice a covert threat not to be disguised. "I warn you. But, in this connection, some other questions occur to me. What of Ireland?"
"The Irish shall decide."
"South Africa?"