Tombstone epitaph., 1915-10-17


 Cynic that he was. he would. I be- aeve. have overlooked my indiscre. ion at Madrid. But he died three months before that episode. to which nave no Intention of alluding further it is an axiom that . British represen. tative must have . nawless record, and . score of years as an attache at oeariy every European capital in turn did not save me.
 Naturally l was embittered. and my four years of retirement were the toneiinest l had ever spent, When 2etitioned Sir Edward Grey for rein statement. even in some minor post, l had little hope that he would listen to me. When. therefore. he sent for me to Downing street you can judge of my elation.
 But his first words dashed my hopes completely.
 "A. K. what you ask is impossi. eie. he said. T do not think you were culpable in that Spanish mat ter. But you were indiscreet enough 10 make reinstatement in the regular diplomatic service impossible
 The word regular" seemed unusual enough to rekindle my hopes slightly. He saw that I had understood that there was something more to be said. sLd. taking me confidentially by the arm. he asked me to be seated.
 You can serve the government greatly" he said, "and in this way. There are great events pending. We are skirting the edge of the greatest conlagration since Napoleon's day. You know what was behind the scenes tn 1909. when Austria annexed Bosnia: also in 1911. when Germany chal- tenged France by sending the Panther to Agadir.
 There's . war spirit abroad. It's like some evil thing which civilization has downed. rising up to down civili- ration. This new spirit is an artifi- cial thing. It is an organized thing. Somebody is at the back of it, manu- featuring 1t, melting it with the ex- penditure of unlir1ited money. for very concrete reasons of his own. want you to use your ability and knowledge in running him down. Find out who he Is and what his pur- pose Is. Will you accept the post of ambassador-at-large to Europe?" he ended. with that charming smile which is said to be the secret of nine tenths of his success.
 accepted the mission. And that was how found myself in Vienna, the gossip capital of Europe. l had not been there for number of years. l felt sure. however, that the key to the situation lay here, where every oody comes. sooner or later, and ev- erything that is being done in other capitals comes to a correct focus.
 I meant to steep myself in the po- iiticai atmosphere. to get grasp up- on those contemporary events which are never recorded in the newspapers, before beginning my investigations. knew how much turns upon the rela- tions between a king and his consort, . crown prince and his father; an am oassador's indiscretion, a dignitary's religious conversation. or a club wait CTS memory of conversation over the port
 was on my way to the Diplomats club, at Koenigstrasse, of which had always remained an honorary mem- Der.
 As I passed through the district of government offices I fancied that saw one or two persons watching me rather closely.
 Presently l saw before me the two Corinthian pillars that flank the en- trance to the Diplomats club.
 As I made my way into the nearly empty smoking room and took c chair ct the end of the room farthest from the door, I saw the club members re- garding me furtiyeiy.
 Then, one by one, they rose up and went out unostentatiousiy. and yet with . certain appearance of concert ed action.
 All except one man. who, as the last to leave passed through the door. got up and came quickly toward me. l perceived a little. wizened fellow. without . trace of that hall mark of which in my day had been the primary qualification for admis- sion to the Diplomats club. He took the empty chair nearest me. drew it up close. and. leaning toward me, said in . tow tone and with a mix ture of familiarity and ingratiating deference:
 We are assured beyond doubt that D:mitrieR has those papers in his pocket"
 | said nothing I have always been . good listener. and the little man seemes pregnant with mysterious rev. cations.
 We know why he left Sofia on Thursday night. and why ne is in Vienna pursued the little man. Tt vas not . matter of trying to raise that loan"
 There was something % snug and sinisteF about the man that 1 checked my impuIse to suggest that he might nave made . mistake in my identity. I felt that [ was about to learn things which It vas necessary for me to