Тридцять дев’ять ступенів

           RoyerwouldbelandingatDover,SirWalterwouldbemakingplanswiththefewpeopleinEnglandwhowereinthesecret,andsomewhereinthedarknesstheBlackStonewouldbeworking.Ifeltthesenseofdangerandimpendingcalamity,andIhadthecuriousfeeling,too,thatIalonecouldavertit,alonecouldgrapplewithit.ButIwasoutofthegamenow.Howcoulditbeotherwise?ItwasnotlikelythatCabinetMinistersandAdmiraltyLordsandGeneralswouldadmitmetotheircouncils.

           IactuallybegantowishthatIcouldrunupagainstoneofmythreeenemies.Thatwouldleadtodevelopments.IfeltthatIwantedenormouslytohaveavulgarscrapwiththosegentry,whereIcouldhitoutandflattensomething.Iwasrapidlygettingintoaverybadtemper.

           Ididn’tfeellikegoingbacktomyflat.Thathadtobefacedsometime,butasIstillhadsufficientmoneyIthoughtIwouldputitofftillnextmorning,andgotoahotelforthenight.

           Myirritationlastedthroughdinner,whichIhadatarestaurantinJermynStreet.Iwasnolongerhungry,andletseveralcoursespassuntasted.IdrankthebestpartofabottleofBurgundy,butitdidnothingtocheerme.Anabominablerestlessnesshadtakenpossessionofme.HerewasI,averyordinaryfellow,withnoparticularbrains,andyetIwasconvincedthatsomehowIwasneededtohelpthisbusinessthrough—thatwithoutmeitwouldallgotoblazes.