He came down to lunch in a frayed, exhausted condition, and was much afflicted by a series of questions from Herr Heinrich. For it was an incurable characteristic of Herr Heinrich that he asked questions; the greater part of his conversation took the form of question and answer, and his thirst for information was as marked as his belief that German should not simply be spoken but spoken "out loud." He invariably prefaced his inquiries with the word "Please," and he insisted upon ascribing an omniscience to his employer that it was extremely irksome to justify after a strenuous morning of enthusiastic literary effort. He now took the opportunity of a lull in the solicitudes and congratulations that had followed Mr. Direck's appearance--and Mr. Direck was so little shattered by his misadventure that with the assistance of the kindly Teddy he had got up and dressed and come down to lunch--to put the matter that had been occupying his mind all the morning, even to the detriment of the lessons of the Masters Britling. "Please!" he said, going a deeper shade of pink and partly turning to Mr. Britling. A look of resignation came into Mr. Britling's eyes. "Yes?" he said. "I do not think it will be wise to take my ticket for the Esperanto Conference at Boulogne. Because I think it is probable to be war between Austria and Servia, and that Russia may make war on Austria." "That may happen. But I think it improbable." "If Russia makes war on Austria, Germany will make war on Russia, will she not?" "Not if she is wise," said Mr. Britling, "because that would bring in France." "That is why I ask. If Germany goes to war with France I should have to go to Germany to do my service. It will be a great inconvenience to me." "I don't imagine Germany will do anything so frantic as to attack Russia. That would not only bring in France but ourselves." "England?" "Of course. We can't afford to see France go under. The thing is as plain as daylight. So plain that it cannot possibly happen.... Cannot.... Unless Germany wants a universal war." "Thank you," said Herr Heinrich, looking obedient rather than reassured. "I suppose now," said Mr. Direck after a pause, "that there isn't any strong party in Germany that wants a war. That young Crown Prince, for example." "They keep him in order," said Mr. Britling a little irritably. "They keep him in order.... "I used to be an alarmist about Germany," said Mr. Britling, "but I have come to feel more and more confidence in the sound common sense of the mass of the German population, and in the Emperor too if it comes to that. He is--if Herr Heinrich will permit me to agree with his own German comic papers--sometimes a little theatrical, sometimes a little egotistical, but in his operatic, boldly coloured way he means peace. I am convinced he means peace...." Section 2 After lunch Mr. Britling had a brilliant idea for the ease and comfort of Mr. Direck.