The chambermaid walked listlessly to the window and looked out. A man in well cut clothes had tossed a penny to the ground, and the beggars had fallen upon it.
“Those men do be spotters,” said the chambermaid for my benefit.
“Spotters? What do you mean?”
“Spies,” she answered briefly.
“How can you tell?”
She sniffed. “They’re not Dublin. They’re military. Will you be taking your breakfast here or downstairs?”
“Here, thanks. And get me a bath ready. I’ll go to bed for a bit.”
The stream of people increased as I watched. It was a listless stream. The only thing in a hurry was a lorry of armed soldiers jostling at breakneck speed through the traffic.
“For the Lord’s sake, let’s get some breakfast!” Himself exclaimed in the middle of my watch.