There was only one thing for it—a last finesse, to put him to the proof.
“Very well,” I said, after a moment or two, “we’ll clear out—silence, Davies!—as it appears we have acted in error; but it’s right to tell you that we know everything.”
“Not so loud, curse you! What do you know?”
“I was taking notes at Memmert the other night.”
“Impossible!”
“Thanks to Davies. Under difficulties, of course, but I heard quite enough. You were reporting your English tour—Chatham, you know, and the English scheme of attack, a mythical one, no doubt, as you’re on the right side! Böhme and the rest were dealing with the German scheme of defence A to G—I heard it all—the seven islands and the seven channels between them (Davies knows every one of them by heart); and then on land, the ring of railway, Esens the centre, the army corps to mobilise and entrench—all nugatory, wasted, ha! ha!—as you’re on the right s——”
“Not so loud, you fiend of mischief!” He turned his back, and made an irresolute pace or two towards the door, his hands kneading the folds of his dressing-gown as they had kneaded the curtain at Memmert. Twice he began a question and twice broke off. “I congratulate you, gentlemen,” he said, finally, and with more composure, facing us again, “you have done marvels in your misplaced zeal; but you have compromised me too much already. I shall have to have you arrested—purely for form’s sake——”
“Thank you,” I broke in. “We have wasted five minutes, and time presses. We sail at five, and—purely for form’s sake—would rather have you with us.”
“What do you mean?” he snarled.
“I had the advantage of you at Memmert, in spite of acoustic obstacles. Your friends made an appointment behind your back, and I, in my misplaced zeal, have taken some trouble to attend it; so that I’ve had a working demonstration on another matter, the invasion of England from the seven siels.” (Davies nudged me.) “No, I should let that pistol alone; and no, I wouldn’t ring the bell. You can arrest us if you like, but the secret’s in safe hands.”