“Do you think,” he said, “that we could get them to take on Tim in any job connected with flying machines? This war will knock all his inventions into a cocked hat. He will simply be left, and he has a real turn for mechanics. If he got messing about with aeroplanes he might do something big, something really valuable. But I don’t know how to go about getting that sort of job for him. I’m not in with military people. Look here, you’ve a lot of influence with the War Office——”
“No,” I said. “None.”
“Nonsense. You must have. A word from you—— I’ll tell you what we’ll do. I’ll work Ascher’s naturalisation papers for him, and you get Tim taken on by the Army Flying Corps people.”
“Perhaps,” I said, “you’d like me to get you a Staff appointment while I’m at it.”
“Oh, no,” said Gorman. “I’m not a soldier, I’m a Member of Parliament. My job is——”
Gorman hesitated. For a moment I thought that he was in real doubt, was actually wondering what place he ought to take, what work he ought to do.
“Yes,” I said. “You. Now, what is your idea for yourself?”
Gorman drew himself up to his full height, squared his shoulders and puffed out his chest.
“My place,” he said, “is in the great council of the Empire.”
I gasped.