"Anyhow," he went on, "they think they have got something that will enable them to defeat any combination. There is no question in dispute with any foreign power. The political 'horizon' is perfectly clear. But it is time for me to go home." "Do you think this idea of theirs is really dangerous?" I asked. "Undoubtedly." "But can it not be counteracted in any way?" "If it can't it will be a bad look out for the rest of us," he said. "But do you see any means of meeting it?" "There is, if I can get the Governments to act. But they are at a tremendous disadvantage." "Why?" I said. "Because everything they do will be proclaimed from the housetops. However, what I wanted to do immediately was to arrange with you about leaving the country. Of course you will stay as long as you like, but I should advise you not to stay too long. I shall not announce that I am going away permanently, and I shall leave nearly all my things here to avoid suspicion; but within three months they will know that I am not likely to come back, and then they may want to look _you_ up if you are still here." "I shall go as soon as you think it is advisable for me to go," I said. "The only thing I wanted to make sure of was the thing you have apparently found out. Once or twice since I came I have felt sceptical about the Machiavellian designs attributed to the Meccanian Government by all these neighbours. Naturally they see a robber in every bush. I have sometimes been inclined to think the Meccanians like organising just for the love of it, but you are satisfied that there is more in it than that." "My dear child," said Kwang, "there are some people who can't see a stone wall till they knock their heads against it, and who can't tell that a mad bull is dangerous till he tosses them in the air; and from what I learn you are almost as bad," he said, laughing. "You have been here, how long? Four or five months at any rate. Well, you have a very unsuspicious mind. But I am going to give you an interesting experience. I am going to take you to see a friend of mine who has been a prisoner in an asylum for the mentally afflicted for the last fifteen years. I enjoy the privilege of talking to him alone, and I have permission to take you. I won't stop to explain how I obtained the privilege, but it has been very useful."