Now, you understand thoroughly?"
"I think so," replied Ivor, very grave and troubled, I knew by the
change in his manner, out of which all the gaiety had been slowly
drained. "I will do my very best."
"If you are sacrificing any important engagements of your own for the
next two days, you won't suffer for it in the end," remarked the Foreign
Secretary meaningly.
No doubt Ivor saw the consulship at Algiers dancing before his eyes,
bound up with an engagement to Di, just as a slice of rich plum cake and
white bride cake are tied together with bows of satin ribbons sometimes,
in America. I didn't want him to have the consulship, because getting
that would perhaps mean getting Di, too.
"Thank you," said Ivor.
"And what hotel shall you choose in Paris?" asked the Foreign Secretary.
"It should be a good one, I don't need to remind you, where Mademoiselle
de Renzie could go without danger of compromising herself, in case she
should be recognised in spite of the veil she's pretty certain to wear.
Yet it shouldn't be in too central a situation."
"Shall it be the Elysee Palace?" asked Ivor.
"That will do very well," replied the other, after reflecting for an
instant.
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