The young man, who was a person of
some consequence in his own country, spoke easily of the theatres,
of mutual friends, of some sport in which he had been engaged.
Catherine relapsed into the role which had been her first in life,
--the young woman of fashion. As such they attracted no attention
save a few admiring glances on the part of passers-by towards
Catherine. As the people around them thinned out a little, their
conversation became more intimate.
"I shall always feel," the young man said thoughtfully, "that in
these days I have lived very near great things. I have seen and
realised what the historians will relate at second-hand. The
greatest events move like straws in the wind. A month ago, it
seemed as though the Central Powers would lose the war."
"I suppose," she observed, "it depends very much upon what you
mean by winning it? The terms of peace are scarcely the terms of
victory, are they?"
"The terms of peace," he repeated thoughtfully.
"We happen to know what they are, do we not?" she continued,
speaking almost under her breath, "the basic terms, at any rate."
"You mean," he said slowly, "the terms put forward by the
Socialist Party of Germany to ensure the granting of an
armistice?"
"And acceded to," she reminded him, "by the Kaiser and the two
greatest German statesmen."
He toyed with his teacup, drew a gold cigarette case from his
pocket, selected a cigarette, and lit it.
"You would try to make me believe," he remarked, smiling at his
companion, "that to-day you are not in your most intelligent
mood.
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