After all, I was only a subaltern. He
tried to cool the atmosphere a little.
"I don't know why poor old Spain should be dragged into it like
this," he said, with a laugh. "I had a very jolly time in Madrid
years ago."
"O, I only gave Spain as an example," said the Colonel casually.
"It might just as well have been Switzerland?" I suggested.
There was silence for a little.
"Talking of Switzerland----" I said, as I knocked out my pipe.
"Oh, go on," said the Colonel, with a good-humoured shrug. "I've
brought this on myself."
"Well, sir, what I was wondering was--What would happen to the honour
of England if fifty English women were murdered at Interlaken?"
The Colonel was silent.
"However large an army we had----" I went on.
The Colonel struck a match.
"It's a funny thing, honour," I said. "And prestige."
The Colonel pulled at his pipe.
"Just fancy," I murmured, "the Swiss can do what they like to
British subjects in Switzerland, and we can't get at them.
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