Page:The council of seven.djvu/117

 "Daren't!"

"Very deep minds are in this affair. The human race, as you probably know, is faced with some ugly developments."

"Of which I am said to be the only true begetter!"

"There are others, less commonplace, in the higher regions of thought."

"What are they?"

"I am not at liberty to disclose them. But I may say this: your case, Mr. Hartz, has interested me much, and its inevitable developments are going to interest me even more. Therefore, at a later stage, if you care to come and see me again, pray do so."

The Colossus rose from his cushioned divan with rather a disgruntled look.

"I'm afraid I've not been particularly illuminating," said Wygram with a faint smile. "But I may be able to reconcile it with a sense of duty to shed a little light on your darkness presently."

"What has a sense of duty to do with the matter?" The Colossus was hardly able to repress a snarl of impatience.

"Of two evils I choose the less. Still, as I say, it may be possible later to modify my views a little. I hope you'll come and see me again."

With a courtesy more than oriental yet not wholly free of a natural irony due to the circumstances, Wygram rose slowly from the ground and took leave of his perplexed visitor.