got all night, dear. You're not the only one, you know.'
The two groups diverged.
'I never took our James for a student of architecture, did you, Moti?' asked the senior of the three officers, a gaunt man wearing a major's crowns and a clergyman's collar and silk.
'Ah, there you have his well-known subtlety, padre. He was really admiring something far more worth a young man's while than cold stones, am I right, James?'
'Well, yes. I thought she was wonderful, didn't you? Extraordinary eyes. But sort of blank and frightened.'
'Probably the shadow of that plane,' said the clergyman. 'It is scaring if you don't know what it is. It even got me until I remembered. I was quite used to it at one time.'
'I should have said she was frightened already. But then who wouldn't be in a bloody place like this?'
The clergyman frowned. 'It's got a pretty good reputation. I'm sure they all do what they can.'
'By putting up this sort of thing, for instance?'
The pathway had broadened to a circle. In the middle was an ornamental pond, its stonework discolored and scabbed with moss, and in the center of this a plinth on which crouched a stone creature somewhat resembling a lion. Each of its claws became a thin stem ending in a flower shaped like a flattened bell, from which in turn protruded a kind of tongue with three points. The thin tail appeared to have been broken off short and the break filed smooth. From the smiling mouth there curled upwards a triple tongue with a small object, not certainly identifiable, at each point. Every inch of the surface had at one time been enameled with minute designs, but these were largely weathered away.
'A nice welcoming sort of chap to run into on your way in here,' said the young man addressed as James. 'I dreamt about him the other night.'
'Good for you.' The clergyman took him by the arm and drew him off towards a flight of stone steps that led up to the entrance of the building. 'Is there anything like that in your part of the world, Moti?'
'Not that I know of? I'm thankful to say. We're a pretty morbid lot in our own fashion, but rather more direct. We leave that kind of thing to our yellow brethren. In fact I seem to remember seeing a photo of a gentleman somewhat resembling our friend, though minus the horticulture, standing in a palace at Peking or one of those places. An interesting sidelight.'
They reached a paneled vestibule with notices on every hand, some pinned to the woodwork, others on small stands. Pre-Raphaelite Exhibition All This Month in Lecture-Room B, said one. Coach Excursion to St. Jerome's Priory: Names to Office by Friday Please, said another.
'What used to be at the end of his tail, do you think?'
The clergyman glared. 'Come off it, James, for heaven's sake. What's the matter with you today? I could give you my theory about that, and back it up, but it wouldn't go too well with my cloth. And what do you care?'
'Oh, the respected cloth.'
'Yes, the respected cloth. I know it's a bit threadbare in places, but it's all I've got. Now chin in, shoulders back, arms swung as high as the waist-belt to front and rear and get set to cheer him up. That reminds me-give me that cake.'
A small parcel was passed from hand to hand as they walked down the dip of a corridor that rose again out of sight.
'Intimations of infinity,' said the officer called Moti, taking in this effect. 'Highly therapeutic.'
'Oh, look at this,' said the clergyman after a moment. 'The Army's here. I detect the hand of Captain Leonard. Applied, as you might expect, a little late in the day.'
They approached a recessed double door outside which a young NCO was rising to his feet from a folding chair. Before him was a card-table on which lay an open foolscap notebook and a couple of technical manuals.
'Good afternoon, gentlemen,' he said, coming smartly to attention. 'You wish to visit Captain Hunter, I take it?'
'Yes, if the Army Council has no objection. What the devil are you doing here? I mean it's nice to see you, Fawkes, but what are you in aid of?'
The NCO grinned. 'Security, Major Ayscue.'
'I thought it might be that. Captain Leonard's inspiration?'
'His orders, sir. Everybody who comes and goes has to have his or her full name written down here, plus the time he or she came and went. Very vital information, those times. Captain Leonard was most insistent about them. Oh, and it might interest you to know, sir, that all visitors have got to go down in the book whether it's Captain Hunter they've come to see or not. You never know whether a North Korean mightn't worm himself in with a tape-recorder, you see.'
'There wasn't anyone here when I came last week.'
'No doubt, Mr. Churchill, but that was last week. And this week we're making a special effort, because Captain Hunter might be coming out in a few days and we're only on the second page of the book. Now let's see'-he began writing-'Fifteen forty-four hours… Major… Ayscue… Captain… Naidu…'
'Is it all right for us to go in now, Fawkes?' asked Ayscue.
'Oh, I think so, sir. Captain Leonard did tell me not to let anyone by until I'd written them down, but I think, I can hold Mr. Churchill's name in my head for a few more seconds. You'll find Captain Hunter very cheerful,
