“Oh, that does not amount to anything,” said Edestone. “It will be well in a week. Have you seen the morning papers?” With a smile he handed him a sheet on which was printed all the news of the day which the wireless man had picked up during the night.
“The United States has not been heard from,” he commented as he glanced it over. “I wonder what the Southern Baptist Union School Children will think of me now? You know the Secretary of State thought I was a Baptist. And as for him, why he will leave the State Department and stay away until it gets too hot in Florida, or the lecturing season is all over, while the President will write a most scholarly note to all of the Powers telling them how much he loves them, and what a glorious thing it is to be an American. He will then give an unqualified invitation to all of the dark-skinned downtrodden criminals of Europe to come over and be sprinkled with the holy water of citizenship, after they have made their mark to their naturalization papers which have been read to them by their interpreter.
“London reports that the news from Germany has filled the entire country with new confidence,” he went on, “and that the Londoners have given themselves over to the most un-English and thoroughly Latin demonstrations by parading the streets and singing songs and indulging in another Mafeking. I see, too, that Lord Rockstone is reported to have said that he thought now the war would not last as long as he had expected. The King has called a special meeting of the Cabinet for today at 4 o’clock.
“Reports come from Rome that Italy will enter the war immediately, and the papers point out the fact that now since her friend America has joined the Allies it is high time that Italy should take her position.
“Petrograd reports that they have lost 100,000 men but have captured 250,000 Austrians.
“Constantinople,” he went on reading, “declares that the Dardanelles are impregnable and that the city is perfectly quiet, but the Sultan and half of his harem have moved to his summer residence.”
He laid down the printed sheet. “I have had no communication yet from down there,” he said as he pointed down in the direction of the Palace. “My international law department is drawing up a proclamation which I will send as soon as it is finished. It will be along the lines that I spoke of to you last night, but framed in more diplomatic language. These are the latest bulletins I was just reading over when you came in.”
Then while Lawrence sat eating his breakfast, Edestone continued to read now and then bits of the different press notices.
“Listen to this,” he said with a laugh. “‘The twenty Taubes sent up to make a night attack on the American airship inflicted great injury. After using up all their ammunition and bombs they were forced to retire before the large guns of the enemy. They all reached the ground in safety. The tremendous explosion that was heard in the city is thought to have been caused by the exploding of one of the large magazines.’”
“What’s that from?” Lawrence glanced up from his “anything and eggs.” “Die Fliegende Blatter?”