"I suppose you've told old--I mean you've told them the story at the Foreign Office ?" "Had it all out this morning," Norgate replied.
"I know exactly what our friend told you," Mr.Hebblethwaite continued, with a gleam of humour in his eyes.

"He reminded you that the first duty of a diplomat--of a young diplomat especially--is to keep on friendly terms with the governing members of the country to which he is accredited.

How's that, eh ?" "Pretty nearly word for word," Norgate admitted.

"It's the sort of platitude I could watch framing in his mind before I was half-way through what I had to say.

What they don't seem to take sufficient account of in that museum of mummied brains and parchment tongues--forgive me, Hebblethwaite, but it isn't your department--is that the Prince's behaviour to me is such as no Englishman, subscribing to any code of honour, could possibly tolerate.