"No, Excellency, of course, I did not see that."
"Proceed, Ivan."
"After they—parted, Excellency, the lady opened the tree and went into it."
"Opened the tree?" The nervous fingers were stilled.
"Yes, Excellency. It must have been a door."
"Rather odd for America, I should say. Eh, Wratslav?"
The dapper man bowed. "As you say, Excellency, it is rather unusual in America."
"Proceed, Ivan." The Minister resumed his thrumming.
"When the lady closed the tree and was gone, the—ah—person—turned to go past me. My gun had the silencer on which Your Excellency—"
"You are forgetting again, Ivan." The half-closed eyes opened for an instant, and the steel was close underneath the velvet of the tone.