@@@@@ The brother-in-law fingers his chinYou
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The brother-in-law fingers his chinYou know, Edward, I suppose it's one of the laws of government, but there are always many points of view in a departmentI'll tell you, I've been wondering if you couldn't be sent on a little joust to France, in your capacity as an officer of course
What about, Minot?
Oh, it's nebulousA few talks here and thereAn element in the department is attempting to change our Spain policyI don't think they're going to succeed but it would be disastrous if they should, be tantamount to handing Gibraltar to the RussiansWhat worries me is FranceSo long as they stay on the fence I don't think there's a chance of our trying anything by ourselves
I'm to keep them on the fence?
Nothing so big as thatI've got some assurances, some financial contracts which might put a little pressure in the proper placesThe thing to remember is that everyone in France can be bought, none of them has clean hands
I wonder if I could get away
We're sending a military mission to France and ItalyI can work it through the War DepartmentI'll have quite a briefing to give you, but that should give you no trouble
I'm very interested, Cummings saysThe problems of manipulationHe trails off, not finishing the sentence
The water slaps past, resolves itself again behind the stern, quietly, softly, like a cat grooming its furBeyond the catboat the sunlight is scattered over the bay, tinkling upon the water
We might as well put back, the brother-in-law says
The shore line is wooded, olive-green, a pristine cove
I never get over this, he says to CummingsI still expect to see Indians in the forest