“If it's a league that France and England make, it will be a league to hold Germany down.”
Lanny saw that it wouldn't do any good to argue. For a German officer, as for a French one, it was still war. “We Americans are doing everything in our power,” he declared. “It just takes time for passions to cool off.”
“What you Americans should have done was to keep out of it. It wasn't your fight.”
“Maybe so, Kurt. I wasn't for going in, and now most of our men at the Crillon are doing their best to reconcile and appease. Do what you can to help us.”
“How can we do anything when we're not allowed near your so-called 'conference'?”
A hopeless situation! Lanny looked at his watch, recalling that there would be an Armenian gentleman waiting for him at the hotel. “My time isn't my own,” he explained, and rose to go.
Kurt rose also. But Beauty interposed. “Kurt, you oughtn't to go out until after dark!”
“I came before dark,” he replied.
“I don't want you to go out with Lanny,” she pleaded. “Why risk both your lives? Please wait, and I'll go with you.” She couldn't keep the trembling out of her voice, and her son understood that for her too the war was still being fought. “I want to talk to you about Emily Chattersworth,” she added; “she and I are hoping to do something.”
“All right, I'll wait,” said Kurt.