Bad business, that Hellesfield affair."
"It was a very bad business indeed," Tallente agreed, "chiefly because
it shows that our agents there must be utterly incapable."
The Prime Minister coughed.
"You think so, Tallente, eh? Now their point of view is that you let
Miller make all the running, let him make his points and never got an
answer in--never got a grip on the people, eh?"
"That may do for the official explanation," Tallente replied coldly,
"but as a plain statement of facts it is entirely beside the mark. If
you will forgive my saying so, sir, it has been one of your
characteristics in life, born, without doubt," he added, with a little
bow, "of your indomitable courage, to minimise difficulties and dangers
of a certain type. You did not sympathise with me in my defeat at
Hellesfield because you underrated, as you always have underrated, the
vastly growing strength and dangerous popularity of the party into whose
hands the government of this country will shortly pass."
Mr. Horlock frowned portentously. This was not at all the way in which
he should have been addressed by an unsuccessful follower.
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