"Heavens above!" I said. "Official, did you say?"
"Yes," he said. "Can't stop now."
"Hi! Peter," I shouted, "do get me a paper; it won't take you——" But the banging of the front door cut my appeal short.
I couldn't get a paper myself. I had a cold, and had been ordered to stay indoors, and I had an article to finish by three o'clock.
"Italy with Austria and Germany," I groaned. "It's monstrous."
I got up, kicked the waste-paper basket over and walked up and down the room. I knew Peter wouldn't tell a lie. Even for fun he wouldn't say anything like that if it weren't true.
I called Honor. She was in the drawing-room arranging the flowers. She came hurriedly with a bunch of them in her hand. I don't know one flower from one another, but they were big floppy red things.
"What's the matter?" she said.
"Matter? Italy's declared for the enemy," I said. "It's official."
"Is that all?" she said. "I thought at least you couldn't find some of your writing things."