Чужак в чужой стране

           "Whatdoyoumean?"

           "Weexpecttheadministrationtoberepresentedatthesetalksbywhateverdelegationyouchoose–andwehavethesameprivilege."

           "Surely.Butlet’skeepitsmall.Ishallhandlethismyself,withonlyanassistantortwo.TheSolicitorGeneral,Ithink?andourexpertsinspacelaw.Buttotransactbusinessyourequireasmallgroup–thesmallerthebetter."

           "Mostcertainly.OurgroupwillbesmallSmithhimself–myself–I’llbringaFairWitness-"

           "Oh,comenow!"

           "AWitnessdoesnotslowthingsup.Isuggestyouretainonealso.We’llhaveoneortwoothersperhaps–butwelackonekeyman.IhavefirminstructionsfrommyclientthatafellownamedBenCaxtonmustbepresent?andIcan’tfindthebeggar."

           Jubal,havingspenthoursofmostcomplexmaneuveringinordertotossinthisoneremark,nowwaitedwithhisbestpokerfacetoseewhatwouldhappen.Douglasstaredathim.0‘BenCaxton?’Surelyyoudon’tmeanthatcheapwinchell?"

           "TheBenCaxtonIrefertoisanewspaperman.Hehasacolumnwithoneofthesyndicates."

           "Absolutelyoutofthequestion!"

           Harshawshookhishead."Thenthat’sall,Mr.Secretary.Myinstructionsarefirmandgivemenoleeway.I’msorrytohavewastedyourtime.Ibegtobeexcusednow."Hereachedoutasiftoswitchoffthephone.

           "Holdit."

           "Sir?"

           "Don’tcutthatcircuit;I’mnotthroughspeakingtoyou!"

           "ImosthumblybegtheSecretaryGeneral’spardon.Wewill,ofcourse,waituntilheexcusesus."