Lord. I have done a divination by the Tarot, by a method which I cannot
explain, for that it pertaineth to a grade so much more exalted than yours that
you have never even heard the name of it; and I know the plans of the
German General Staff in detail." Cyril's tone transformed his asinine
utterance into something so Sybilline, Oracular, Delphic, Cumaean, that his
interlocutor almost trembled. Verus incessu patuit Deus — when Cyril
thought it necessary to impress the uninitiate. To the majority of mankind
gold looks like dross unless it be wrapped up in tinsel, and tenfold the proper
price marked on it in plain figures, with the word "Sacrifice." Hence it is that
the most successful merchants omit the gold altogether.
"Oh; I didn't understand."
"You'll observe that I can't explain this to [324] Cripps,; I shall have to
spin some sort of a yarn."
"Yes, yes."
In point of fact the "yarn" was already spun; Cyril had not been divining by
any means more occult than his innate sagacity; but Lord Juventius was one
of those people who bow only before the assumption of authority supported
by mystery and tomfoolery, since their reason is undeveloped. Such people
make excellent secondary figures in any campaign; for their confidence in
their leaders impresses the outsider, who does not know how mentally abject
they are. It is said that no man is a hero to his valet. On the contrary, every
man is a God to his secretary — if not, he had better get rid of the secretary!
Lord Juventius could not have followed Cyril's very astute calculations —
those which he meant to lay before General Cripps; but he would have staked
his life on the accuracy of a Tarot divination so obscure that he was not
allowed even to hear its nature, and which in fact had not been performed.
Indeed, it did not even exist, having been invented on the spur of the moment
by the unscrupulous magician.
"I shall tell him that the military situation is inextricably bound up with
political and dynastic considerations; I shall drop a word about Anschauung
and Welt-politik; you know!"
Lord Juventius giggled adorably.
"By the way," continued Cyril "have you any influence — personal, I
mean — with the old man?"
Lord Juventius bent forward with lowered eyelids, and sank his voice to a
confidential whisper.
"The day we crossed," he murmured.