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Bible ever told of can make me rich again。〃
〃You are a fool！〃 he shrieked。 〃You can buy forgetfulness！ The
memory of everything passes。〃
〃I may be a fool；〃 she retorted grimly； 〃and you the wise man； but
this day we'll both know the truth。〃
There was a little murmur from the shore； where the fishermen stood
in a long line。
〃Bring him back； missus；〃 Jacob called out。 〃You've scared him
enough。 Bring him back。 We'll leave him to the law。〃
They were close to the line of surf now； they had passed it； indeed；
a little on the left； and the boat was drifting。 She stood up；
straight and stern； and her face； as she looked towards the land；
was lit with the fire of the prophetess。
〃Aye；〃 she cried； 〃we'll leave him to the law … to the law of God！〃
Then they saw her stoop down； and once more with that almost
superhuman strength which seemed to belong to her for those few
moments； she lifted the strange object who lay cowering there；
high above her head。 From the shore they realised what was going
to happen； and a great shout arose。 She stood on the side of the
boat and jumped； holding her burden tightly in her arms。 So they
went down and disappeared。
Half a dozen of the younger fishermen were in the water even before
the grim spectacle was ended； another ran for a boat that was moored
a little way down the beach。 But from the first the search was
useless。 Only Jacob； who was a person afflicted with many
superstitions； wiped the sweat from his forehead as he leaned over
the bow of his boat and looked down into that fathomless space。
〃I heard her singing； her or her wraith；〃 he swore afterwards。
〃I'll never forget the moment I looked down and down； and the water
seemed to grow clearer； and I saw her walking there at the bottom
among the rocks； with him over her back； singing as she went；
looking everywhere for George and the boys！〃
But if indeed his eyes were touched with fire at that moment； no
one else in the world saw anything more of Miles Fentolin。
CHAPTER XXXVI
Mr。 John P。 Dunster removed the cigar from his teeth and gazed at
the long white ash with the air of a connoisseur。 He was stretched
in a long chair； high up in the terraced gardens behind the Hall。
At his feet were golden mats of yellow crocuses； long borders of
hyacinths … pink and purple； beds of violets； a great lilac tree；
with patches of blossom here and there forcing their way into a
sunlit world。 The sea was blue； the sheltered air where they sat
was warm and perfumed。 Mr。 Dunster； who was occupying the position
of a favoured guest； was feeling very much at home。
〃There is one thing；〃 he remarked meditatively； 〃which I can't help
thinking about you Britishers。 You may deserve it or you may not；
but you do have the most almighty luck。〃
〃Sheer envy；〃 Hamel murmured。 〃We escape from our tight corners by
forethought。〃
〃Not on your life； sir；〃 Mr。 Dunster declared vigorously。 〃A year
or less ago you got a North Sea scare； and on the strength of a
merely honourable understanding with your neighbour； you risk your
country's very existence for the sake of adding half a dozen
battleships to your North Sea Squadron。 The day the last of those
battleships passed through the Straits of Gibraltar； this little
Conference was plotted。 I tell you they meant to make history there。
There was enough for everybody … India for Russia； a time…honoured
dream； but why not？ Alsace…Lorraine and perhaps Egypt； for France；
Australia for Japan； China and South Africa for Germany。 Why not？
You may laugh at it on paper but I say again … why not？〃
〃It didn't quite come off； sir；〃 Gerald observed。
〃It didn't；〃 Mr。 Dunster admitted； 〃partly owing to you。 There
were only two things needed： France to consider her own big interests
and to ignore an entente from which she gains nothing that was not
assured to her under the new agreement； and the money。 Strange；〃
Mr。 Dunster continued； 〃how people forget that factor； and yet the
man who was responsible for The Hague Conference knew it。 We in
the States are right outside all these little jealousies and wrangles
that bring Europe； every now and then； right up to the gates of war；
but I'm hanged if there is one of you dare pass through those gates
without a hand on our money markets。 It's a new word in history；
that little document； news of which Mr。 Gerald here took to The
Hague； the word of the money kings of the world。 There is something
that almost nips your breath in the idea that a dozen men； descended
from the Lord knows whom； stopped a war which would have altered the
whole face of history。〃
〃There was never any proof；〃 Hamel remarked； 〃that France would not
have remained staunch to us。〃
〃Very likely not；〃 Mr。 Dunster agreed； 〃but； on the other hand； your
country had never the right to put such a burden upon her honour。
Remember that side by side with those other considerations； a great
statesman's first duty is to the people over whom he watches； not to
study the interests of other lands。 However； it's finished。 The
Hague Conference is broken up。 The official organs of the world
allude to it； if at all； as an unimportant gathering called together
to discuss certain frontier questions with which England had nothing
to do。 But the memory of it will live。 A good cold douche for you
people； I should say； and I hope you'll take warning by it。 Whatever
the attitude of America as a nation may be to these matters； the
American people don't want to see the old country in trouble。 Gee
whiz！ What's that？〃
There was a little cry from all of them。 Only Hamel stood without
sign of surprise； gazing downward with grim； set face。 A dull roar；
like the booming of a gun； flashes of fire； and a column of smoke
… and all that was left of St。 David's Tower was one tottering wall
and a scattered mass of masonry。
〃I had an idea；〃 Hamel said quietly； 〃that St。 David's Tower was
going to spoil the landscape for a good many years。 My property；
you know； and there's the end of it。 I am sick of seeing people
for the last few days come down and take photographs of it for
every little rag that goes to press。〃
Mr。 Dunster pointed out to the line of surf beyond。 〃If only some
hand；〃 he remarked； 〃could plant dynamite below that streak of white；
so that the sea could disgorge its dead！ They tell me there's a
Spanish galleon there； and a Dutch warship； besides a score or more
of fishing…boats。〃
Mrs。 Fentolin shivered a little。 She drew her cloak around her。
Gerald； who had been watching her； sprang to his feet。
〃Come；〃 he exclaimed； 〃we chose the gardens for our last afternoon
here； to be out of the way of these places！ We'll go round the hill。〃
Mrs。 Fentolin shook her head once more。 Her face had recovered its
serenity。 She looked downward gravely but with no sign of fear。
〃There is nothing to terrify us there； Gerald；〃 she declared。 〃The
sea has gathered； and the sea will hold its own。〃
Hamel held out his hand to Esther。
〃I have destroyed the only house in the world which I possess；〃 he
said。 〃Come and look for violets with me in the spinney； and let
us talk of th