“Sir,” I replied, “when you affirm that I have avoided military supervision, you are placing yourself in contradiction with the facts. What you say does not conform with the truth.”
The officer jumped to his feet as if moved by a spring.
“What is that you say?” he demanded.
“Simply that I never had any intention to disobey the regulations you have posted up,” I answered calmly.
“You take it in a rather haughty manner,” he said. “Do you think we are not aware that you are a British subject?”
“I never thought so,” I replied.
“You are a British subject, are you not–you are a British subject?”
“You are quite right–I am a British subject.”
“It is well for you that you do not deny it.”