“Oh, he was included in the amnesty in honour of the birth of the Crown Prince. I wanted to except him, but Drakovics was particularly anxious not to give any offence to Scythia just then, and chose to think that he had probably reformed. I knew there wasn’t much chance of his having done that unless he had a comfortable livelihood secured to him, and you say you have not been permitted to be his banker.”
“No, my savings were intended for quite another purpose. Look here, Cyril, I want you to chuck this Thracian job, and settle down at home, or go abroad in the Diplomatic Service, if you prefer it. I can’t bear your being mixed up with all this shady political business, and Nadia fully agrees with me. It’s not easy to put by much in these bad times, but we have never quite lived up to our income, and I can let you have ten or fifteen thousand pounds to start on to-morrow, if you’ll only become an Englishman again instead of a hybrid cosmopolitan.”
“Do you really think me capable of sponging on you in this way?”
“Well, let us call it a loan, then. It’s all the same to me.”
“With the certainty that neither principal nor interest would ever be repaid? No, old man. I’m awfully obliged both to you and Nadia, but I won’t take your money. You will need it all in a few years, when the children’s education has to be thought of. And besides, I am spoilt for England by this time. After the life I have led these eight years, do you seriously imagine I could take a subordinate post, even in Diplomacy? You know that a good appointment would be just about as accessible as the moon to me.”
“I thought of your standing for the Aberkerran Division.”
“And getting in, of course; and spending how many years as a private member?”
“Nonsense, Cyril! With your experience, you would be a man to be reckoned with by any Government. We should see you Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs in no time.”
“Under-Secretary? And with that pompous old brute the Duke spoiling everything I had on hand, and taking the credit of anything that succeeded in spite of him? Thanks, Caerleon; the House of Commons is all very well in its own little way, but it’s not big enough for me.”
“But what are you aiming at?”