“Well, I have been quite busy enough for the greater part of the day. Newspapers have sold well; they are very interesting, for Parliament was last night discussing the question of adopting that new gun—a noiseless, smokeless weapon which can kill at the distance of a mile and fire three hundred shots in succession. Other nations are adopting it, and Christian England must not be behind. One good thing about it is that any number of armies could be annihilated in a day; so if the battles are fierce they will not be long.”
“Dreadful! Surely they will never fight again now that killing is so easy and so certain?”
“I don’t know; I hope not. I think not, if England would lead the way, as she ought, and would be always for peace.”
“I am feeling very warlike this evening, Graf.”
“Are you, Margaret? You are young to suffer from nervous irritability. Do you feel as if you want to bang something?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Go up the house and down the house and bang all the doors. No? You want something human? I am quite at your service, my dear—bang me! I am substantial enough for anything.”
“Graf, you are generally young and frivolous when I want you to be staid and serious. Something has happened to me, and I need help and advice.”
“Really and truly, my child?”
“Yes; very really and truly, indeed. I have had an anonymous letter.”