“this is really excellent,” said mr mahmoud, and took another small sip of his coffee.
“i am glad you like it,” lord chandler replied.
“well,” mr mahmoud continued, finally surrendering his cup to its saucer, “ i will get to the point.”
“please do.”
“in a single word.”
“which is?”
“war!”
“ah.” lord chandler nodded. he had expected as much. what else could mr mahmoud have been about?
“i am sorry to have to announce it so suddenly.” mr mahmoud put his fingertips together thoughtfully.
“i thought,” lord chandler continued evenly, “that we had agreed on peace. as you had chosen to visit me, the leader of the peace party, rather than mr jefferson, the leader of the war party, i think the whole world had assumed the same.”
“something has come up.”
“no doubt. have you informed mr jefferson of your change of heart? or your change of plans, as the case may be.”
“as you are in office, my lord, and not mr jefferson, i thought it proper to inform you first.”
“yes. may i ask a favor of you?”
“you may ask,” mr mahmoud replied.
“would you mind terribly postponing the announcement of hostilities for a day - or at least twelve hours - until i can inform mr jefferson? it would be the right thing to do. in our government we like to
observe these little courtesies.”
mr mahmoud shrugged. “the troops are already massing on the borders - “
“i ask you as a favor, mr mahmoud. a favor i am willing to repay personally. i repeat, that i am willing to repay personally.”
“well, in that case, i am sure a delay - a delay of a day - can be arranged.”
“thank you.” lord chandler relaxed slightly and leaned back in his chair. “and now that has been settled, can you give me some details as to why this reversal has taken place?”
“an incident on the western border.”
“i see. do you have any details as to this - incident?”
“some have been furnished me,”
“and do you feel at liberty to share them?”
“i do not see why not.”
“good.’ lord chandler sighed. “but before we proceed, i think i could use some brandy myself - and a cigar.”
and lord chandler rang for peters once again.
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