She took the papers and read in a semi-tone:
'War—Serbia, Turkey—imminent. Come.'
Number two was longer:
'Where on earth are you? War. Look sharp. Montenegro is in it, too.'
The third was more serious:
'Two messages without reply. Are yen coming?'
Then number four:
'They are at it already. It will be a bad business. Come at once.'
She returned them without a word; and he, seeing the necessity of saying something, remarked pleasantly:
'It is my misfortune to be required in two places at once, or not at all.'