II
Tommy was sitting exchanging memories with some old friends.
‘World’s in a funny way nowadays,’ said Colonel Atkinson. ‘I hear youand your what’s-her-name, Prudence–no, you had a nickname for her,Tuppence, that’s right–yes, I hear you’ve gone to live in the country. Some-where down near Hollowquay. I wonder what took you there. Anythingparticular?’
‘Well, we found this house fairly cheap,’ said Tommy.
‘Ah. Well, that’s lucky always, isn’t it? What’s the name? You must giveme your address.’
‘Well, we think we may call it Cedar¹ Lodge² because there’s a very nicecedar there. Its original name was The Laurels³, but that’s rather a Vic-torian hangover, isn’t it?’
‘The Laurels. The Laurels, Hollowquay. My word, what are you up to,eh? What are you up to?’
Tommy looked at the elderly face with the sprouting⁴ white moustache.
‘On to something, are you?’ said Colonel Atkinson. ‘Are you employed inthe service of your country again?’
‘Oh, I’m too old for that,’ said Tommy. ‘I’m retired⁵ from all that sort ofstuff.’
‘Ah, I wonder now. Perhaps that’s just the thing you say. Perhaps you’vebeen told to say that. After all, you know, there’s a good deal was neverfound out about all that business.’
‘What business?’ said Tommy.
‘Well, I expect you’ve read about it or heard about it. The CardingtonScandal. You know, came after that other thing–the what-you-call-’em let-ters–and the Emlyn Johnson submarine business.’
‘Oh,’ said Tommy, ‘I seem to remember something vaguely⁶.’
‘Well, it wasn’t actually the submarine business, but that’s what calledattention to the whole thing. And there were those letters, you see. Gavethe whole show away politically. Yes. Letters. If they’d been able to gethold of them it would have made a big difference. It would have

分享到：