He had been forced to leave England in disgrace, and his offense would be
remembered if he returned. Indeed, he had come to regard America as his
home, but patriotic feelings he had thought dead had awakened and would
not be denied. He might still be able to serve his country and meant to
do so, though it was plain that this would demand a sacrifice. Love and
duty clashed, but he must do his best and leave the rest to luck. Getting
up with sudden resolution, he left the café and went to the British
consulate.
When he stopped outside the building, to which the royal arms were fixed,
he remarked that two peons were lounging near, but, without troubling
about them, knocked at the door. There was only a Vice-Consul at Santa
Brigida, and the post, as sometimes happens, was held by a merchant, who
had, so a clerk stated, already gone home. Dick, however, knew where he
lived and determined to seek him at his house. He looked round once or
twice on his way there, without seeing anybody who seemed to be following
him, but when he reached the iron gate he thought a dark figure stopped
in the gloom across the street. Still, it might only be a citizen going
into his house, and Dick rang the bell.
He was shown on to a balcony where the Vice-Consul sat with his Spanish
wife and daughter at a table laid with wine and fruit. He did not look
pleased at being disturbed, but told Dick to sit down when the ladies
withdrew.
"Now," he said, "you can state your business, but I have an appointment
in a quarter of an hour."
Dick related his suspicions about the coaling company, and described what
he had seen at Adexe and the visit of the black-funnel boat, but before
he had gone far, realized that he was wasting his time. The Vice-Consul's
attitude was politely indulgent.
"This is a rather extraordinary tale," he remarked when Dick stopped.
"I have told you what I saw and what I think it implies," Dick answered
with some heat.
"Just so. I do not doubt your honesty, but it is difficult to follow your
arguments."
"It oughtn't to be difficult. You have heard that the French liner was
sunk by a black-funnel boat."
"Black funnels are common. Why do you imagine the vessel you saw was an
auxiliary cruiser?"
"Because her crew looked like navy men. They were unusually numerous and
were busy at drill."
"Boat or fire drill probably. They often exercise them at it on board
passenger ships. Besides, I think you stated that it was dark."
Dick pondered for a few moments. He had heard that Government officials
were hard to move, and knew that, in hot countries, Englishmen who marry
native wives sometimes grow apathetic and succumb to the climatic
lethargy. But this was not all: he had to contend against the official
dislike of anything informal and unusual. Had he been in the navy, his
warning would have received attention, but as he was a humble civilian he
had, so to speak, no business to know anything about such matters.