“Possibly. Nations are like individuals; they prefer flattery to honest criticism.”
“But a writer should remember that there is no law of libel to protect a nation.”
To this remark Mr. Hodden did not reply.
“And what did you object to most, Mr. Hodden?” asked the girl.
“That is a hard question to answer. I think, however, that one of the most deplorable features of American life is the unbridled license of the Press. The reporters make existence a burden; they print the most unjustifiable things in their so-called interviews, and a man has no redress. There is no escaping them. If a man is at all well known, they attack him before he has a chance to leave the ship. If you refuse to say anything, they will write a purely imaginative interview. The last time I visited America, five of them came out to interview me—they came out in the Custom House steamer, I believe.”
“Why, I should feel flattered if they took all that trouble over me, Mr. Hodden.”
“All I ask of them is to leave me alone.”
“I’ll protect you, Mr. Hodden. When they come, you stand near me, and I’ll beat them off with my sunshade. I know two newspaper men—real nice young men they are too—and they always do what I tell them.”
“I can quite believe it, Miss Jessop.”
“Well, then, have no fear while I’m on board.”