I should be a wretched man if she were out ofmy
sight.
Some have gone to Greenland and Iceland after cod,
andsome are at the halibut fishing. Its no good oursheltering here any
longer.
The mainquarrel now is not between Haraldsen and
the Pack, but betweenDlngraville and me. I could almost besorry for them, for theyre
young rabbits in the foxs jaw. I cantlet that incarnate devil go loose in the world.
There could be no end to the business unless eitherDIngraville or Sandy perished.
Though I had Peter John at my side, animpression of deep loneliness settled on me.
Halder, as seen across theChannel, was only a grey wraith. But of you, Lord
Clanroyden, I can ask nothing. Then I thought that Id better make his acquaintance.
Imanaged to avoid an embrace, but he wrung my hand. So did the others, for he
waslistened to with respect. Seatrout were jumpingmerrily at the stream mouth. I
could almost besorry for them, for theyre young rabbits in the foxs
jaw.
I had spoken briskly, but my heart was in my
boots.
That littledwelling is all that is left to a man
whose forbears once ownedhalf Haute Savoie.
I did not know there was such honour in the world,
he said withhis voice breaking.
I asked one other question, and got an answer which
sent me to bedwith an uneasy mind.
He saw me off next morning in a wonderful mountain
dawn. But I rang him upmyself and got a very dusty answer. With DIngraville in
theaffair there were no limits.
I cantlet that incarnate devil go loose in the
world.
In the evening I came to a small, ancientchateau
high up on the knees of the mountains. He had been listening toour talk with eyes
like saucers.
Also a horridpremonition of coming disaster, which
I could not get rid of. Shes a lovely creature, a red-haired Jewess, who just missed
coming off as a film-star.
He seizedon Lombard, who was nearest him, and
hugged him like a bear.
Now Irealized that there must be great wealth in
the background.