'Or with Human Beings Anonymous?'
'No, sir.'
Pausing at every turn, Ross-Donaldson asked the others the same question. They all answered no. At the end of this there was another and longer pause, and at the end of that Ross-Donaldson, facing the lance- corporal, spoke suddenly again.
'What do you think about death?'
'Death, sir?'
'Yes, death. What do you think about it?'
'I never think about it, sir.'
'Never?'
'No, sir.'
'Right. Next. What do you think about death?'
'It's nothing to do with me, sir.'
'In that case why are you here?'
'No reason in particular, sir. My mate and I thought there might be going to be some kind of show, so we turned up on the off-chance.'
'I see. Next. What do you think about death?'
'It's something we've got to think about, sir. It's a big problem. I've got a few ideas on the subject, nothing very original, I'm afraid. I came along to see whether it was intended to hold some kind of debate on the topic, some sort of profitable exchange of views that might help to clear up the question.'
'But you didn't put up those notices?'
'Oh no, sir. They didn't express my feelings about the matter at all.'
'Right. Next. What do you think about death?'
'It's a terrible thing, sir. Terrible. A scourge, that's what it is. Millions of people every year. And nothing's being done about it. I thought perhaps somebody was starting to at last, sir, so naturally I decided to attend, to hear what the person had in mind. But it looks as if I'm wasting my time, doesn't it, sir?'
'Yes. Next. What do you think about death?'
The next and last man in the line was Evans. He rubbed the side of his face, grinning, before he answered.
'Well, sir,' he said, 'I don't want to strike the wrong note or offend anybody's susceptibilities, but on the whole I'm rather in favor of it, actually. It strikes me there's a lot of people about who could do with a dose of that kind of thing. A notoriously underrated way of solving the world's problems, to my mind. Because, after all, what does it mean? Mere cessation of consciousness, as I understand it. Which most of us could do with anyway. And then there'd be a better kind of life for the rest of us. If any. That was why I joined the Army, as a matter of fact. And they put me on polishing shoes and pressing trousers-no disrespect to you, Major Ayscue, I assure you. Whereas what I was after was killing people, you see.'
Evans started laughing. The other men joined in and stood in more relaxed attitudes. Ross-Donaldson went on walking to and fro.
'Remarkable,' said Naidu to Hunter in a low voice. 'An extraordinary performance. I owe so much of what I am to your country that it ill becomes me even to seem to criticize. But this is a reversion to the primitive, my dear Max. Progress should at least bring it about that one manages not to fall back to the first notions. This amazing show. Thank you for having civilized us in the past; I must now take leave to say I don't understand you any more, however, much as I should like to. Are you ready, Sergeant?'
The Orderly Sergeant got to his feet. At the same moment Ross-Donaldson halted and said, more quietly than before,
'Thank you all very much for answering my questions. You may go now.'
The scene broke up. The guards asked permission to smoke and were granted it. Hunter and Ayscue went forward onto the stage and joined Ross-Donaldson, who stood as if awaiting congratulations for his performance.,
'Great fun, Alastair,' said Hunter. 'In a rather limited way.'
'Thank you. I'm satisfied now that we shall hear no more of this matter.'
'Oh, don't say that, I should hate to think you were right.'
Hunter turned to Leonard, who had just come over.
'What do you say, Brian? Has the League packed up, do you think?'
'I wish I did. This is very frightening. The whole situation has changed in the last fifteen minutes.'
'What, because five yobs say they're nothing to do with it and are obviously telling the truth?'
'No. The sinister thing is the non-appearance of whoever put up those notices.'
'I don't follow you.'
'Can I talk to you about it for a moment? Will you excuse us?'
