He told Crabb that he had spoken to the chief of the diplomatic bureau in despair.
“Isn’t there any way, Crowthers?” he had asked. “Can’t a fellow ever get any higher?”
“If he had a pull, he might—but a consular clerk——” The shake of Crowthers’ head was eloquent.
“Isn’t there anything a fellow—even a consular clerk—could do to win promotion in this service?” he continued.
Crowthers had looked at him quizzically.
“Yes, there’s one thing. If you could do that, you might ask the Secretary for anything you wanted.”
“And that——”
“Get the text of the treaty between Germany and China from Baron Arnim.”
Crowthers had chuckled. Crabb chuckled, too. He thought it a very good joke. Baron Arnim had been the special envoy of Germany to China, accredited to the court of the Eastern potentate with the special mission of formulating a new and secret treaty between these monarchs. He was now returning home carrying a copy of this document in his baggage.
Burnett had laughed. It was a good joke.