The Secret War Read Free Page B

had a genuine liking for the Italians.”
    While Penn listened attentively, the Englishman then outlined the amazing changes which had taken place in Italy since the Great War. He laid particular stress upon the fact that she had not sufficient arable land to support her population. “And, after all,” he finished, “Mussolini is only proposing to do what Britain and France have done on innumerable occasions in the past. What’s more, he gave many months’ notice of his intention.”
    Penn nodded. “That’s a very able argument, but, d’you realise you are admitting that Britain is as much to blame as anyone else for this wretched muddle? You say Mussolini gave many months’ notice of his intention. If Britain had made it clear then that she meant to support the League, the presumption is that there wouldn’t have been any war.”
    â€œPerhaps, but I’d rather you didn’t father it entirely on us. Britain has voiced the feeling of the smaller nations, but she couldn’t do that before she knew it. This is the League’s business, and we had to wait for the League’s decision.”
    â€œYou mean you never fancied the idea of having the italians in Abyssinia, because you feared they might prove awkward neighbours for you in Egypt. But you preferred to wait before making your protest until you could appear as the champion of the League.”
    Lovelace grinned. “You’re a pretty shrewd young man, aren’t you?”
    â€œNot particularly. I’ve studied these questions rather carefully, that’s all. Another thing: that argument about surplus population is a complete fallacy. Did you know that although the Germans had a very considerable colonial Empire before the war, there were actually a greater number of their nationals in Paris, the enemy capital, on the outbreak of hostilities, than in the whole of their overseas territory? It’s been proved time andagain that colonies are not essential to the expansion of a people. Look at the number of Italians and Germans we have here in the States!”
    â€œThere’s a certain amount of truth in that.”
    â€œThere is, and ingenious as your case for Italy appears on the surface, if I were Cassel, I should tell you it’s just the sort of argument that Britain can be guaranteed to put up when she wishes to justify her own annexations. A delightful essay in hypocrisy!”
    Lovelace laughed. “Oh, everyone accuses the British of being hypocrites. It isn’t true, though. It’s just that our statesmen are so slow in the uptake that quick-witted foreigners always suspect their noncommittal attitude to conceal some deep-laid plan. Generally, before our people have even had time to formulate a policy.”
    â€œNonsense,” smiled Penn; “they’re the astutest bunch of diplomats in the world. Still, even granting that all you have said is honestly believed by the great majority of Italians, you don’t believe it yourself, do you?”
    â€œNot altogether.” Lovelace was frank. “I was only arguing for fun just now. Actually, I’m sailing for Abyssinia on Saturday—as a non-combatant, of course—but I shall be helping Abyssinia as far as a neutral can.”
    â€œReally?” Penn looked up with quickened interest. “But it’s a bit late in the day, isn’t it?”
    â€œWhy? Of course, if the League can make some face-saving arrangement by which Mussolini comes off with flying colours a peace may be agreed to-morrow. Again, if the Italians start using poison gas the Abyssinian armies are so ill-organised that they might break up and the Emperor find himself compelled to throw his hand in. But that’s unlikely. In six months the Italians have penetrated the country to the depth of about a hundred-and-fifty miles. They still have two-hundred-and-fifty to go before they reach Addis, and therains are due in about a