beasts and superbeasts-第25章

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charge；　who　had　quietly　suppressed　it。　　No　one　is　a　hero　

to　one's　own　office…boy；　and　he　evidently　considered　that　

a　quarter　of　a　million　was　an　unwarrantable　outlay　for　

such　a　doubtfully　advantageous　object　as　the　repatriation　

of　an　errant　newspaper　staff。　　So　he　drew　the　editorial　

and　other　salaries；　forged　what　signatures　were　

necessary；　engaged　new　reporters；　did　what　sub…editing　he　

could；　and　made　as　much　use　as　possible　of　the　large　

accumulation　of　special　articles　that　was　held　in　reserve　

for　emergencies。　　The　articles　on　foreign　affairs　were　

entirely　his　own　composition。



〃Of　course　the　whole　thing　had　to　be　kept　as　quiet　

as　possible；　an　interim　staff；　pledged　to　secrecy；　was　

appointed　to　keep　the　paper　going　till　the　pining　

captives　could　be　sought　out；　ransomed；　and　brought　home；　

in　twos　and　threes　to　escape　notice；　and　gradually　things　

were　put　back　on　their　old　footing。　　The　articles　on　

foreign　affairs　reverted　to　the　wonted　traditions　of　the　

paper。〃



〃But；〃　interposed　the　nephew；　〃how　on　earth　did　the　

boy　account　to　the　relatives　all　those　months　for　the　

non…appearance　…　〃



〃That；〃　said　Sir　Lulworth；　〃was　the　most　brilliant　

stroke　of　all。　　To　the　wife　or　nearest　relative　of　each　

of　the　missing　men　he　forwarded　a　letter；　copying　the　

handwriting　of　the　supposed　writer　as　well　as　he　could；　

and　making　excuses　about　vile　pens　and　ink；　in　each　

letter　he　told　the　same　story；　varying　only　the　locality；　

to　the　effect　that　the　writer；　alone　of　the　whole　party；　

was　unable　to　tear　himself　away　from　the　wild　liberty　and　

allurements　of　Eastern　life；　and　was　going　to　spend　

several　months　roaming　in　some　selected　region。　　Many　of　

the　wives　started　off　immediately　in　pursuit　of　their　

errant　husbands；　and　it　took　the　Government　a　

considerable　time　and　much　trouble　to　reclaim　them　from　

their　fruitless　quests　along　the　banks　of　the　Oxus；　the　

Gobi　Desert；　the　Orenburg　steppe；　and　other　outlandish　

places。　　One　of　them；　I　believe；　is　still　lost　somewhere　

in　the　Tigris　Valley。〃



〃And　the　boy？〃



〃Is　still　in　journalism。〃





THE　BYZANTINE　OMELETTE





SOPHIE　CHATTEL…MONKHEIM　was　a　Socialist　by　

conviction　and　a　Chattel…Monkheim　by　marriage。　　The　

particular　member　of　that　wealthy　family　whom　she　had　

married　was　rich；　even　as　his　relatives　counted　riches。　　

Sophie　had　very　advanced　and　decided　views　as　to　the　

distribution　of　money：　it　was　a　pleasing　and　fortunate　

circumstance　that　she　also　had　the　money。　　When　she　

inveighed　eloquently　against　the　evils　of　capitalism　at　

drawing…room　meetings　and　Fabian　conferences　she　was　

conscious　of　a　comfortable　feeling　that　the　system；　with　

all　its　inequalities　and　iniquities；　would　probably　last　

her　time。　　It　is　one　of　the　consolations　of　middle…aged　

reformers　that　the　good　they　inculcate　must　live　after　

them　if　it　is　to　live　at　all。



On　a　certain　spring　evening；　somewhere　towards　the　

dinner…hour；　Sophie　sat　tranquilly　between　her　mirror　and　

her　maid；　undergoing　the　process　of　having　her　hair　built　

into　an　elaborate　reflection　of　the　prevailing　fashion。　　

She　was　hedged　round　with　a　great　peace；　the　peace　of　one　

who　has　attained　a　desired　end　with　much　effort　and　

perseverance；　and　who　has　found　it　still　eminently　

desirable　in　its　attainment。　　The　Duke　of　Syria　had　

consented　to　come　beneath　her　roof　as　a　guest；　was　even　

now　installed　beneath　her　roof；　and　would　shortly　be　

sitting　at　her　dining…table。　　As　a　good　Socialist；　Sophie　

disapproved　of　social　distinctions；　and　derided　the　idea　

of　a　princely　caste；　but　if　there　were　to　be　these　

artificial　gradations　of　rank　and　dignity　she　was　pleased　

and　anxious　to　have　an　exalted　specimen　of　an　exalted　

order　included　in　her　house…party。　　She　was　broad…minded　

enough　to　love　the　sinner　while　hating　the　sin　…　not　that　

she　entertained　any　warm　feeling　of　personal　affection　

for　the　Duke　of　Syria；　who　was　a　comparative　stranger；　

but　still；　as　Duke　of　Syria；　he　was　very；　very　welcome　

beneath　her　roof。　　She　could　not　have　explained　why；　but　

no　one　was　likely　to　ask　her　for　an　explanation；　and　most　

hostesses　envied　her。



〃You　must　surpass　yourself　to…night；　Richardson；〃　

she　said　complacently　to　her　maid；　〃I　must　be　looking　my　

very　best。　　We　must　all　surpass　ourselves。〃



The　maid　said　nothing；　but　from　the　concentrated　

look　in　her　eyes　and　the　deft　play　of　her　fingers　it　was　

evident　that　she　was　beset　with　the　ambition　to　surpass　

herself。



A　knock　came　at　the　door；　a　quiet　but　peremptory　

knock；　as　of　some　one　who　would　not　be　denied。



〃Go　and　see　who　it　is；〃　said　Sophie；　〃it　may　be　

something　about　the　wine。〃



Richardson　held　a　hurried　conference　with　an　

invisible　messenger　at　the　door；　when　she　returned　there　

was　noticeable　a　curious　listlessness　in　place　of　her　

hitherto　alert　manner。



〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Sophie。



〃The　household　servants　have　'downed　tools；'　

madame；〃　said　Richardson。



〃Downed　tools！〃　exclaimed　Sophie；　〃do　you　mean　to　

say　they've　gone　on　strike？〃



〃Yes；　madame；〃　said　Richardson；　adding　the　

information：　〃It's　Gaspare　that　the　trouble　is　about。〃



〃Gaspare？〃　said　Sophie　wanderingly；　〃the　emergency　

chef！　　The　omelette　specialist！〃



〃Yes；　madame。　　Before　he　became　an　omelette　

specialist　he　was　a　valet；　and　he　was　one　of　the　strike…

breakers　in　the　great　strike　at　Lord　Grimford's　two　years　

ago。　　As　soon　as　the　household　staff　here　learned　that　

you　had　engaged　him　they　resolved　to　‘down　tools'　as　a　

protest。　　They　haven't　got　any　grievance　against　you　

personally；　but　they　demand　that　Gaspare　should　be　

immediately　dismissed。〃



〃But；〃　protested　Sophie；　〃he　is　the　only　man　in　

England　who　understands　how　to　make　a　Byzantine　omelette。　　

I　engaged　him　specially　for　the　Duke　of　Syria's　visit；　

and　it　would　be　impossible　to　replace　him　at　short　

notice。　　I　should　have　to　send　to　Paris；　and　the　Duke　

loves　Byzantine　omelettes。　　It　was　the　one　thing　we　

talked　about　coming　from　the　station。〃



〃He　was　one　of　the　strike…breakers　at　Lord　

Grimford's；〃　reiterated　Richardson。



〃This　is　too　awful；〃　said　Sophie；　〃a　strike　of　

servants　at　a　moment　like　this；　with　the　Duke　of　Syria　

staying　in　the　house。　　Something　must　be　done　

immediately。　　Quick；　finish　my　hair　and　I'll　go　and　see　

what　I　can　do　to　bring　them　round。〃



〃I　can't　finish　your　hair；　madame；〃　said　Richardson　

quietly；　but　with　immense　decision。　　〃I　belong　to　the　

union　and　I　can't　do　another　half…minute's　work　till　the　

strike　is　settled。　　I'm　sorry　to　be　disobliging。〃



〃But　this　is　inhuman！〃　exclaimed　Sophie　tragically；　

〃I've　always　been　a　model　mistress　and　I've　refused　to　

employ　any　but　union　servants；　and　this　is　the　result。　　I　

can't　finish　my　hair　myself；　I　don't　know　how　to。　　What　

am　I　to　do？　　It's　wicked！〃



〃Wicked　is　the　word；〃　said　Richardson；　〃I'm　a　good　

Conservative　and　I've　no　patience　with　this　Socialist　

foolery；　asking　your　pardon。　　It's　tyranny；　that's　what　

it　is；　all　along　the　line；　but　I've　my　living　to　make；　

same　as　other　people；　and　I've　got　to　belong　to　the　

union。　　I　couldn't　touch　another　hair…pin　without　a　

strike　permit；　not　if　you　was　to　double　my　wages。〃



The　door　burst　open　and　Catherine　Malsom　raged　into　

the　room。



〃Here's　a　nice　affair；〃　she　screamed；　〃a　strike　of　

household　servants　without　a　moment's　warning；　and　I'm　

left　like　this！　　I　can't　appear　in　public　in　this　

condition。〃



After　a　very　hasty　scrutiny　Sophie　assured　her　that　

she　could　not。



〃Have　they　all　struck？〃　she　asked　her　maid。



〃Not　the　kitchen　staff；〃　said　Richardson；　〃they　

belong　to　a　different　union。〃



〃Dinner　at　least　will　be　assured；〃　said　Sophie；　

〃that　is　something　to　be　thankful　for。〃



〃Dinner！〃　snorted　Catherine；　〃what　on　earth　is　the　

good　of　dinner　when　none　of　us　will　b