'No. But the truth is, I wanted to see Hamilton about a private message I got from the Foreign Office, telling me to advise him to look after the—the—the ex-Dictator—that there was some plot against him; and I'm sure it's all rubbish—people don't do these things in England, don't you know?—but I thought I would come round and tell Hamilton all the same.'
'Hamilton will be here in a moment or two with his Excellency. Hadn't you better wait and see them?'
'Oh—thanks—no—it will do as well if you will kindly give my message.'
'May I ask what time you got your message?'
'Oh—a little time ago. I feel sure it's all nonsense; but still I thought I had better tell Hamilton about it all the same.'
'I hope it's all nonsense,' Sarrasin said gravely. 'But we have thought it right to arouse his Excellency.'
'Oh!' Rivers said anxiously, and slackened in his departure, 'you have got some news of your own?'
'We have got some news of our own, Mr. Rivers, and we have got some suspicions of our own. Some of us have our eyes, others of us have our ears. Others of us get telegrams—and act on them at once.' This was a thrash deeper even than its author intended.
'You don't really expect that anything is going to happen to-night?'
'I am too old a soldier to expect anything. I keep awake and wait until it comes.'