Page 120 - the-thirty-nine-steps

that part. If I could blunder thus, gentlemen, in a land where
men’s senses are keen, why should we busy preoccupied ur-
ban folk not err also?’
Sir Walter nodded. No one was ready to gainsay him.
‘But I don’t see,’ went on Winstanley. ‘Their object was to
get these dispositions without our knowing it. Now it only
required one of us to mention to Alloa our meeting tonight
for the whole fraud to be exposed.’
Sir Walter laughed dryly. ‘The selection of Alloa shows
their acumen. Which of us was likely to speak to him about
tonight? Or was he likely to open the subject?’
I remembered the First Sea Lord’s reputation for tacitur-
nity and shortness of temper.
‘The one thing that puzzles me,’ said the General, ‘is
what good his visit here would do that spy fellow? He could
not carry away several pages of figures and strange names
in his head.’
‘That is not difficult,’ the Frenchman replied. ‘A good spy
is trained to have a photographic memory. Like your own
Macaulay. You noticed he said nothing, but went through
these papers again and again. I think we may assume that he
has every detail stamped on his mind. When I was younger
I could do the same trick.’
‘Well, I suppose there is nothing for it but to change the
plans,’ said Sir Walter ruefully.
Whittaker was looking very glum. ‘Did you tell Lord Al-
loa what has happened?’ he asked. ‘No? Well, I can’t speak
with absolute assurance, but I’m nearly certain we can’t
make any serious change unless we alter the geography of

120 The Thirty-Nine Steps