“What sort of people?”

“Financiers in City offices.”

“What are you driving at with all this?”

“Trying to make an easy job difficult, that’s all.”

“You can’t pretend there’s going to be any difficulty in handing over a simple manuscript at a publisher’s office?”

“No,” said Anthony regretfully. “I don’t suppose there’ll be anything difficult about that. But shall I tell you, James, where I propose to go with my £250?”

“South America?”

“No, my lad, Herzoslovakia. I shall stand in with the republic, I think. Very probably I shall end up as president.”

“Why not announce yourself as the principal Obolovitch and be a king whilst you’re about it?”