Day by day the sinister rumours grew in volume, and penetrating amongst the public, spread uneasiness and disquiet.

Paul Visire himself began to take alarm.

What disturbed him most were the silence and absence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Crombile no longer came to the meetings of the Cabinet.

Rising at five o'clock in the morning, he worked eighteen hours at his desk, and at last fell exhausted into his waste-paper basket, from whence the registrars removed him, together with the papers which they were going to sell to the military attaches of the neighbouring Empire.
General Debonnaire believed that a campaign was imminent, and prepared for it.