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to see all things in the same light as he did. He was not, he often admitted, a prominent Party man. He preferred people to parties, and the more varied the people the more he liked their company.
    Drusilla and Palfrey were sitting up in bed, drinking coffee and eating the soft, delectable French rolls which had come back from their war-time hibernation, when a loud tap at the door made them jump. ‘Hallo?’ said Palfrey.
    â€˜Is a visitor permitted, m’sieu ?’asked the chambermaid, meekly.
    â€˜Oh yes,’ said Palfrey, expecting one of the others, and Drusilla pulled her bed-jacket round her shoulders. ‘Come in.’
    Stefan appeared, ducking in the doorway, his face one vast smile. Palfrey nearly upset his coffee. Stefan took Drusilla’s face between his hands and kissed her roundly, gripped Palfrey’s hand, engulfing it completely, and then stood at the foot of the beds, grinning from one to the other.
    â€˜So it is all true,’ he declared, ‘you are both here—all the time I have been trying to convince myself that it was a poor joke, my friends.’
    For once he talked a great deal, plied them with questions, told Drusilla there was no need for her to get up yet, breakfast could be sent up to the room for them all.
    It was good to see him excited.
    Drusilla went to bath. Stefan sat cross-legged on her bed and plied Palfrey with more questions, mostly about the expedition. Palfrey voiced his puzzlement about some of the aspects, and Stefan said crisply: ‘Of course you are puzzled, Sap. So am I. They would not bring us all together again for a private venture, the thought of that is absurd.’
    â€˜Much thanks,’ murmured Palfrey. ‘The others think I have another bee in my bonnet.’
    Stefan frowned. ‘A bee in your bonnet?’
    Palfrey laughed. ‘Sorry! Old English slang. It means they think I’m crazy.’
    â€˜Oh, I would not disagree with them there, but on this particular matter, no, you are not mad,’ Stefan said, cheerfully. ‘What I cannot understand is why we have not been fully informed. It would appear that nothing much is known, but they think we might make discoveries of some significance while we are after this man Dias.’
    â€˜It started before anything was known about Dias,’ said Palfrey. ‘At least, before I knew anything about him.’
    â€˜Perhaps it was already known that Dias was in search of the radium,’ said Stefan. ‘Well, my friend, I must bath, and Drusilla will want to dress. Afterwards we shall have breakfast in here, with Corny, Neil and Raoul—let me spring myself upon them without warning, they are probably not expecting me until later in the day.’
    â€˜What a big little boy you are!’ said Palfrey. ‘Yes, I’ll tell them we are going into secret conclave over breakfast. Have you booked a room here?’
    â€˜One was booked for me,’ said Stefan; ‘I was given all possible help in Moscow. That made me wonder whether I was going to help you on some small affair. I mean comparatively small,’ went on Stefan, hastily, ‘not a matter which would really justify all of us working.’ He stood up. ‘We need not talk about it too much, we know that we are looking for something else and we can be watchful. All right?’
    â€˜Yes,’ said Palfrey.
    â€˜Until breakfast, then,’ said Stefan. ‘And after breakfast, I hope that you will introduce me to Señor Dias.’
    â€˜His Excellency Señor Fernandez y Dias,’ corrected Palfrey. ‘We’ll try to get an audience of some sort, or view him from afar.’
    He laughed as Stefan went out, and was still smiling when Drusilla came back from the bath, glowing, radiant, bubbling over with excitement. Stefan had that effect on his friends.
    Before the others arrived for breakfast Palfrey looked at the morning papers. Le Temps was on the top of the