The Lotus and the Bottle

           WillardGeddie,consulfortheUnitedStatesinCoralio,wasworkingleisurelyonhisyearlyreport.Goodwin,whohadstrolledinashediddailyforasmokeonthemuchcovetedporch,hadfoundhimsoabsorbedinhisworkthathedepartedafterroundlyabusingtheconsulforhislackofhospitality.

           "Ishallcomplaintothecivilservicedepartment,"saidGoodwin;—"orisitadepartment?—perhapsit’sonlyatheory.Onegetsneithercivilitynorservicefromyou.Youwon’ttalk;andyouwon’tsetoutanythingtodrink.Whatkindofawayisthatofrepresentingyourgovernment?"

           GoodwinstrolledoutandacrosstothehoteltoseeifhecouldbullythequarantinedoctorintoagameonCoralio’ssolitarybilliardtable.Hisplanswerecompletedfortheinterceptionofthefugitivesfromthecapital;andnowitwasbutawaitinggamethathehadtoplay.

           Theconsulwasinterestedinhisreport.Hewasonlytwenty-four;andhehadnotbeeninCoraliolongenoughforhisenthusiasmtocoolintheheatofthetropics—aparadoxthatmaybeallowedbetweenCancerandCapricorn.

           Somanythousandbunchesofbananas,somanythousandorangesandcocoanuts,somanyouncesofgolddust,poundsofrubber,coffee,indigoandsarsaparilla—actually,exportsweretwentypercent.greaterthanforthepreviousyear!

           Alittlethrillofsatisfactionranthroughtheconsul.Perhaps,hethought,theStateDepartment,uponreadinghisintroduction,wouldnotice—andthenheleanedbackinhischairandlaughed.Hewasgettingasbadastheothers.