"Oh, I keep him employed, copying scraps of old blue books, you know, and that sort of thing. Might be useful some day." "You must find life monotonous." "Ah, yes. Such a change from Pernambuco. No casino, no theatre. The theatre at Pernambuco was delightful. This, you know, is one of our quietest posts. Even Archangel, where I was Vice-Consul twenty-three years ago, was a lot more lively. But I do not complain. The climate is good, the salary tolerable--_poli kala_, as I learnt to say in Patras." "You have travelled, sir," said Norman, politely. "Oh, one knocks about a bit and sees things in the Service. Hallo!" The last ejaculation was not addressed to Norman, but to the telephone, whose bell was ringing violently. "Let him wait," said the Consul. "Perhaps," hazarded Norman, "if you are busy this morning I had better tell my story at once." "Certainly. But you need not hurry at all. It's only Dr Sforelli come for his game of chess. You know him perhaps? You have heard of him only?... Yes, the report was correct; he is one of the ablest men in Alsander. His father's name was Cohen, by the way." "Cohen Sforelli?" inquired Norman. "Just Cohen," said the Consul. "Are you an Anti-Semite?" "I never thought about it," said Norman, determined that he would begin his tale at all costs. "But I am Anti-Alsandrian at present." "Been trying to sell something? Hallo, there! Let him wait. Only Olivarbo. You know Count Olivarbo? For an Alsandrian, a man of some ability." "I hope he has not rung you up on urgent business." "Oh, dear no. I am teaching him golf. Of course, I am a little handicapped"--he glanced pathetically at his limp member--"but the rules and the style, you know, and so on." "Well, sir, if you don't mind, my business is rather serious, and I should like to come straight to the point. And to begin with, I should like to ask you whether you have heard of the Alsander Advancement Association." "Never. Is it a co-operative store?" "No, it purports to be a secret society, for the object--well, I don't know for what object." "Of advancing Alsander?" "I suppose so. But it seems to be really a conspirators' club to play bad practical jokes on innocent strangers. I was entrapped by one of its members." "This is very interesting, very interesting, indeed. I may have to take a note of this. Hallo. Who's that? My dear Cocasso, I really can't this afternoon. I am being consulted on important business. Look up Cassolis, he plays. My dear sir"--this to Norman--"you were entrapped?" "I was entrapped. The society sat in state and pretended to examine me for the position of King of Alsander." "Well, well, why not? I was examined to become Vice-Consul. We must all be examined, you know." "Yes, but that was not all. I was stripped and mauled about by a fool who pretended to be a doctor." "Stripped? Dear me! Stripped naked?" "Yes, but worse was in store for me. Because I demanded an apology for their nonsense, I was beaten."