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'The Government wanted to shovel money into the working man's pockets, in fact,' the General said. 'Money for nothing...or votes, I suppose.'

'But that isn't the point, sir,' Macmaster ventured to say. 'All that Chrissie was asked to do was to say what 3 X 3 was.'

'Well, he appears to have done it and earned no end of kudos,' the General said. 'That's all right. We've all, always, believed in Chrissie's ability. But he's a strong-tempered beggar.'

'He was extraordinarily rude to Sir Reginald over it,' Macmaster went on.

The General said:

'Oh dear! Oh dear!' He shook his head at Tietjens and assumed with care the blank, slightly disappointing air of the regular officer. 'I don't like to hear of rudeness to a superior. In any service.'

'I don't think,' Tietjens said with extreme mildness, 'that Macmaster is quite fair to me. Of course he's a right to his opinion as to what the discipline of a service demands. I certainly told Ingleby that I'd rather resign than do that beastly job...'

'You shouldn't have,' the General said. 'What would become of the services if everyone did as you did?'