An instant the Admiral stood looking after her. "The petal of a plum-blossom," he said, "under the hoof of the swine!"
His manner changed abruptly as the aide entered. He spoke in quick, curt Japanese, in a tone sharp and exact as steel shears snipping through zinc:
"Something has transpired of great moment. There is no time to deal with it by the ordinary channels. It is of the first importance—the first importance!—that I reach Yokohama within the hour. You will call up Shimbashi and order a special train with right of way. This admits of no delay! Send for my carriage at once. You will accompany me. We leave in ten minutes." The aide went out quickly while he seated himself at his desk and began to write rapidly.
"Two battle-ships!" he said suddenly, wheeling in his seat. "With the human lives on them! Perhaps even war between two or more nations! Gods of my ancestors! All this to hang on the loyalty of a mere girl!"
The Ambassador, pacing the floor, snapped the lid of his watch. "It must still be close to two hours of sunrise," he said in an agitated voice. "Surely there is time!"
The Admiral was consulting an almanac when the aide reëntered. "Here is a telegram," he said. "Put it on the wire at once. It must arrive before us."
"Excellency," said the aide, "the train is not possible. The service to Yokohama ceased at six o'clock. The rains—there is a washout."
His chief pondered swiftly. "It must be left to others, then. Call up the emergency long-distance for Yokohama and give me a clear wire at once to the Governor's residence. I must make the telegraphic instructions fuller." He bent over the desk.
Trepidation was on the aide's face when he returned this time.
"Excellency the accident to the line was the failure of the bridge over the Rokuga-gawa. It carried both the telegraph and telephone conduits. No wire will be working before noon to-morrow."