Page:The world set free.djvu/164

 "Under the sea, sir?"

"Yes. Submarine volcano. The steam is in sight of the Californian coast. It was as near as that. And with things like this happening, you want me to go up this hill and haggle. Consider the effect of that upon my imperial cousin—and all the others!"

"He will haggle, sir."

"Not a bit of it," said the king.

"But, sir."

"Leblanc won't let him."

Firmin halted abruptly and gave a vicious pull at the offending strap. "Sir, he will listen to his advisers," he said, in a tone that in some subtle way seemed to implicate his master with the trouble of the knapsack.

The king considered him.

"We will go just a little higher," he said. "I want to find this unoccupied village they spoke of, and then we will drink that beer. It can't be far. We will drink the beer and throw away the bottles. And then, Firmin, I shall ask you to look at things in a more generous light Because, you know, you must"

He turned about and for some time the only sound they made was the noise of their boots upon the loose stones of the way and the irregular breathing of Firmin.