AN ENGLISHMAN'S HONOUR
"You have been guilty of a series of unfortunate mistakes, Mr.
Harley," continued the speaker. "Notably, you have relied upon
the clumsy device of disguise. To the organization in which you
have chosen to interest yourself, this has provided some mild
amusement. Your pedlar of almanacs was a clever impersonation,
but fortunately your appearance at the Savoy had been
anticipated, and no one was deceived."
Paul Harley did not reply. He concluded, quite correctly, that
the organization had failed to detect himself in the person of
the nervous cobbler. He drew courage from this deduction.
Fire-Tongue was not omniscient.
"It is possible," continued the unseen speaker, in whom Harley
had now definitely recognized Ormuz Khan's secretary, "that you
recently overheard a resolution respecting yourself. Your death,
in fact, had been determined upon. Life and death being
synonymous, the philosopher contemplates either with equanimity."
"I am contemplating the latter with equanimity at the moment,"
said Harley, dryly.
"The brave man does so," the Hindu continued, smoothly. "The
world only seems to grow older; its youth is really eternal, but
as age succeeds age, new creeds must take the place of the old
ones which are burned out. Fire, Mr. Harley, sweeps everything
from its path irresistibly. You have dared to stand in the path
of a fiery dawn; therefore, like all specks of dust which clog
the wheels of progress, you must be brushed aside.
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