— « Mighty good news in the paper, this morning, and if the French staff will only follow up their advantage, the Kronprinz will be a sorry young man before he’s much older !… »
C’est là l’entrée en matière, l’exorde propitiatoire pour amorcer l’intérêt loyaliste. Mais voici Mr. Smith au fait :
— « It’s about my son Henry, you know. Some of my French neighbours have squealed on him and he has been notified to report by next Monday at the Drill Hall. Of course, he’s anxious to enlist and I’m willing that he should go. Naturally, I need him bad enough on the farm as I’m not quite as young as I used to be… »
Tout cela d’un ton détaché, indifférent, folâtre même.
« …In spite of all that, l’d be willing to put up with the inconvenience… Blood is thicker than water, after all… But l’m very much worried about the boy’s mother… She’s taking the matter very much at heart… Of course, Henry’s never left the house and it would break her heart to see him go… She’s so fond of him, you know… And then, the boy is not strong by any means… Why, sir, you take the two Hurtubise’s, two strapping big fellows, earning their 10 $ a day at the Ross Rifle… Between you and me and the lamp-post, that sort of thing should be stopped : it’s a downright shame !… I tried to remonstrate with the
