The Kingdom of the Blind [68]
gravely.
"So I have been given to understand," he remarked.
The Chief leaned back in his chair. His cold grey eyes were studying the other's face.
"Thomson," he continued, "I know that you are not a sensationalist. At the same time, this request of yours is a little nerve-shattering, isn't it? Sir Alfred Anselman has been the Chancellor's right-hand man. It was mainly owing to his efforts that the war loan was such a success. He has done more for us in the city than any other Englishman. He has given large sums to the various war funds, his nephew is a very distinguished young officer. Now there suddenly comes a request from you to have the censor pass you copies of all his Dutch correspondence. There'd be the very devil to pay if I consented."
Thomson cleared his throat for a moment.
"Sir," he said, "you and I have discussed this matter indirectly more than once. You are not yet of my opinion but you will be. The halfpenny Press has sickened us so with the subject of spies that the man who groans about espionage to-day is avoided like a pestilence. Yet it is my impression that there is in London, undetected and unsuspected, a marvellous system of German espionage, a company of men who have sold themselves to the enemy, whose names we should have considered above reproach. It is my job to sift this matter to the bottom. I can only do so if you will give me supreme power over the censorship."
"Look here, Thomson," the Chief demanded, "you don't suspect Sir Alfred Anselman?"
"I do, sir!"
The Chief was obviously dumbfounded. He sat, for a few moments, thinking.
"You're a sane man, too, Thomson," he muttered, "but it's the most astounding charge I've ever heard."
"It's the most astounding conspiracy," Thomson replied. "I was in Germany a few weeks ago, as you know."
"I heard all about it. A very brilliant but a very dangerous exploit, that of yours, Thomson."
"I will tell you my impressions, sir," the latter continued. "The ignorance displayed in the German newspapers about England is entirely a matter of censorship. Their actual information as regards every detail of our military condition is simply amazing. They know exactly what munitions are reaching our shores from abroad, they know how we are paying for them, they know exactly our financial condition, they know all about our new guns, they know just how many men we could send over to France to-morrow and how many we could get through in three months' time. They know the private views of every one of the Cabinet Ministers. They knew in Berlin yesterday what took place at the Cabinet Council the day before. You must realise yourself that some of this is true. How does the information get through?"
"There are spies, of course," the Chief admitted.
"The ordinary spy could make no such reports as the Germans are getting hour by hour. If I am to make a success of my job, I want the letters of Sir Alfred Anselman."
The Chief considered for several moments. Then he wrote a few lines on a sheet of paper.
"There'll be the perfect devil to pay," he said simply. "We shall have Cabinet Ministers running about the place like black beetles. What's the matter with your head?"
"I was shot at in the Park," Thomson explained. "A man had a flying go at me from a motor-car."
"Was he caught?"
Thomson shook his head.
"I didn't try," he replied. "I want him at liberty. His time will come when I break up this conspiracy, if I do it at all."
The Chief looked a little aggrieved.
"No one's even let off a pop-gun at me," he grumbled. "They must think you're the more dangerous of the two, Thomson. You'd better do what you can with that order as soon as possible. No telling how soon I may have to rescind it."
Thomson took the hint and departed. He walked quickly back to his room, thrust the order he had received into an envelope, and sent it round to the Censor's Department.
CHAPTER XXVII
Mr. Gordon Jones, who had moved his chair a little closer to his host's side, looked reflectively around
"So I have been given to understand," he remarked.
The Chief leaned back in his chair. His cold grey eyes were studying the other's face.
"Thomson," he continued, "I know that you are not a sensationalist. At the same time, this request of yours is a little nerve-shattering, isn't it? Sir Alfred Anselman has been the Chancellor's right-hand man. It was mainly owing to his efforts that the war loan was such a success. He has done more for us in the city than any other Englishman. He has given large sums to the various war funds, his nephew is a very distinguished young officer. Now there suddenly comes a request from you to have the censor pass you copies of all his Dutch correspondence. There'd be the very devil to pay if I consented."
Thomson cleared his throat for a moment.
"Sir," he said, "you and I have discussed this matter indirectly more than once. You are not yet of my opinion but you will be. The halfpenny Press has sickened us so with the subject of spies that the man who groans about espionage to-day is avoided like a pestilence. Yet it is my impression that there is in London, undetected and unsuspected, a marvellous system of German espionage, a company of men who have sold themselves to the enemy, whose names we should have considered above reproach. It is my job to sift this matter to the bottom. I can only do so if you will give me supreme power over the censorship."
"Look here, Thomson," the Chief demanded, "you don't suspect Sir Alfred Anselman?"
"I do, sir!"
The Chief was obviously dumbfounded. He sat, for a few moments, thinking.
"You're a sane man, too, Thomson," he muttered, "but it's the most astounding charge I've ever heard."
"It's the most astounding conspiracy," Thomson replied. "I was in Germany a few weeks ago, as you know."
"I heard all about it. A very brilliant but a very dangerous exploit, that of yours, Thomson."
"I will tell you my impressions, sir," the latter continued. "The ignorance displayed in the German newspapers about England is entirely a matter of censorship. Their actual information as regards every detail of our military condition is simply amazing. They know exactly what munitions are reaching our shores from abroad, they know how we are paying for them, they know exactly our financial condition, they know all about our new guns, they know just how many men we could send over to France to-morrow and how many we could get through in three months' time. They know the private views of every one of the Cabinet Ministers. They knew in Berlin yesterday what took place at the Cabinet Council the day before. You must realise yourself that some of this is true. How does the information get through?"
"There are spies, of course," the Chief admitted.
"The ordinary spy could make no such reports as the Germans are getting hour by hour. If I am to make a success of my job, I want the letters of Sir Alfred Anselman."
The Chief considered for several moments. Then he wrote a few lines on a sheet of paper.
"There'll be the perfect devil to pay," he said simply. "We shall have Cabinet Ministers running about the place like black beetles. What's the matter with your head?"
"I was shot at in the Park," Thomson explained. "A man had a flying go at me from a motor-car."
"Was he caught?"
Thomson shook his head.
"I didn't try," he replied. "I want him at liberty. His time will come when I break up this conspiracy, if I do it at all."
The Chief looked a little aggrieved.
"No one's even let off a pop-gun at me," he grumbled. "They must think you're the more dangerous of the two, Thomson. You'd better do what you can with that order as soon as possible. No telling how soon I may have to rescind it."
Thomson took the hint and departed. He walked quickly back to his room, thrust the order he had received into an envelope, and sent it round to the Censor's Department.
CHAPTER XXVII
Mr. Gordon Jones, who had moved his chair a little closer to his host's side, looked reflectively around