"Of course."
"But the fleet is not there yet."
"It will be there to-morrow night."
"But why should they block the channel now,—why not wait?"
"Characteristic dislike of coups de théâtre, I suppose. Now the French would have waited till we were at the entrance of the channel, and then shut the door in our faces neatly. But British Diplomacy does not aim at effects; besides, this looks more natural."
"How abominable!"
"And listen to this," said the President, as giving way to keen irritation he snatched another paper from his bundle and began to read. "From the Ambassador," he said: "Her Majesty's Government have instructed the officers commanding the various British coaling-stations south of the Red Sea, to render every assistance to the Lauranian fleet and to supply them with coal at the local market-rate."
"It is an insult," she said.
"It is a cat playing with a mouse," he rejoined bitterly.
"What will you do?"