The affair was unquestionably real, so
far.
A brimmingglass of water was then set at my
feet.
Whocould be dull with pools in the rocks to watch?
We need to be governed,and yet to control our governors.
Do you know whatthey call that in Belgium? Buthere
again the parallel between Gattie and his fellow-amateur SirChristopher Wren came
in. They convey nothing whatever to meas to their character or political capacity.
Nobody will make an indiarubber stamp of Bill Boanerges:take that from
me.
That was how I got my job here in the
palace.
If this isDemocracy, who can blame Signor Mussolini
for describing it as aputrefying corpse? Doyou wonder that the Dean cannot believe
such nonsense? Myfather found that where there is nothing a man loses his reason
anddies.
Your arrival cannot have been announced to His
Majesty.
Allour royal people knew him quite well: he was
behind the scenes withthem. Yet my father,with all that under his nose, was driven
mad by its nothingness.
Besides, modern government is not a one-man job: it
is too big forthat.
Now, what control have you or I over the
Services?
If Paul had been a lieutenant in a lineregiment we
should never have heard of him.
If this isDemocracy, who can blame Signor Mussolini
for describing it as aputrefying corpse? My father might have made millions in the
theatres andfilm studios.
Then this other chap comes over to me andpretends
he doesnt know who I am!
I ascertained afterwards that it was started by
arunaway cow. But was it half so silly as our pretence that he is anindiarubber
stamp?