this speech, and indeed, once the company had toasted his lordship and were

seated again, all those present seemed to be studiously avoiding looking towards

the American gentleman. An uneasy silence reigned for a moment, and then finally

Mr Lewis rose to his feet. He was smiling pleasantly in his customary manner.

 

"Well, since everyone's giving speeches, I may as well take a turn," he said,

and it was at once apparent from his voice that he had had a good deal to drink.

"I don't have anything to say to the nonsense our French friend has been

uttering. I just dismiss that sort of talk. I've had people try to put one over

on me many times, and let me tell you, gentlemen, few people succeed. Few people

succeed." Mr Lewis came to a halt and for a moment seemed at a loss as to how he

should go on.

 

Eventually he smiled again and said: "As I say, I'm not going to waste my time

on our French friend over there. But as it happens, I do have something to say.

Now we're all being so frank, I'll be frank too. You gentlemen here, forgive me,

but you are just a bunch of naive dreamers. And if you didn't insist on meddling

in large affairs that affect the globe, you would actually be charming. Let's

take our good host here. What is he? He is a gentleman. No one here, I trust,

would care to disagree. A classic English gentleman. Decent, honest,

well-meaning. But his lordship here is an amateur." He paused at the word and

looked around the table. "He is an amateur and international affairs today are

no longer for gentlemen amateurs. The sooner you here in Europe realize that the

better. All you decent, well-meaning gentlemen, let me ask you, have you any

idea what sort of place the world is becoming all around you? The days when you