No More Parades_ A Novel - Ford Madox Ford [89]
Levin said:
'What in the world would that matter?' fiercely. 'He keeps men waiting as much as three hours. On parade.'
'Of course,' Tietjens said, 'if that is what Major Perowne told General O'Hara it removes a good deal of my suspicions of the latter's sobriety. Try to get the position. General O'Hara positively burst in the little sneck of the door that I had put down and came in shouting: "Where is the ---- blackmailer?" And it was a full three minutes before I could get rid of him. I had had the presence of mind to switch off the light and he persisted in asking for another look at Mrs Tietjens. You see, if you consider it, he is a very heavy sleeper. He is suddenly awakened after, no doubt, not a few pegs. He hears Major Perowne shouting about blackmail and thieves...I dare say this town has its quota of blackmailers. O'Hara might well be anxious to catch one in the act. He hates me, anyhow, because of his Red Caps. I'm a shabby-looking chap he doesn't know much about. Perowne passes for being a millionaire. I daresay he is: he's said to be very stingy. That would be how he got hold of the idea of blackmail and hypnotized the general with it...'
He went on again:
'But I wasn't to know that...I had shut the door on Perowne and didn't even know he was Perowne. I really thought he was the night porter coming to call me to the telephone. I only saw a roaring satyr. I mean that was what I thought O'Hara was...And I assure you I kept my head...When he persisted in leaning against the doorpost and asking for another look at Mrs Tietjens, he kept on saying: "The woman" and "The hussy." Not "Mrs Tietjens."...I thought then that there was something queer. I said: "This is my wife's room," several times. He said something to the effect of how could he know she was my wife, and...that she had made eyes at himself in the lounge, so it might have been himself as well as Perowne.. I dare say he had got it into his head that I had imported some tart to blackmail someone...But you know...I grew exhausted after a time...I saw outside in the corridor one of the little subalterns he has on his staff, and I said: "If you do not take General O'Hara away I shall order you to put him under arrest for drunkenness." That seemed to drive the general crazy. I had gone closer to him, being determined to push him out of the door, and he decidedly smelt of whisky. Strongly...But I dare say he was thinking himself outraged, really. And perhaps also coming to his senses. As there was nothing else for it I pushed him gently out of the room. In going he shouted that I was to consider myself under arrest. I so considered myself...That is to say that, as soon as I had settled certain details with Mrs Tietjens, I walked up to the camp, which I took to be my quarters, though I am actually under the M.O.'s orders to reside in this hotel owing to the state of my lungs. I saw the draft off, that not necessitating my giving any orders. I went to my sleeping quarters, it being then about six-thirty, and towards seven awakened McKechnie, whom I asked to take my adjutant's and battalion parade and orderly-room. I had breakfast in my hut, and then went into my private office to await developments. I think I have now told you everything material...'
II
General Lord Edward Campion, G.C.B., K.C.M.G. (military), D.S.O., etc., sat, radiating glory and composing a confidential memorandum to the Secretary of State for War, on a bully-beef case, leaning forward over a military blanket that covered a deal table. He was for the moment in high good humour on the surface, though his subordinate minds were puzzled and depressed. At the end of each sentence that he wrote--and he wrote with increasing satisfaction!--a mind that he was not using said: 'What the devil am I going to do with that fellow?' Or: 'How the devil is that girl's name to be kept out of this mess?'
Having been asked to write a confidential memorandum for the information of the home authorities as to what, in his opinion, was the cause of the French railway strike, he had hit on the ingenious device of reporting what was the opinion of the greater part of the forces under his command. This was a dangerous line to take, for he might well come into conflict with the home Government. But he was pretty certain that any inquiries that the home Government could cause to be made amongst the local civilian population would confirm what he was writing--which he was careful to state was not to be taken as a communication of his own opinion. In addition, he did not care what the Government did to him.