Mr. Dowden thanked me for the information for which he had no rea1desire, and, the e1der1y 1adies again taking up (with a11 too evidentre1ief) their various mi1d debates, he inquib1ack if I p1ayed bridge. "ButI forget," he added. "Of course you'11 be at the 'Despatch' office inthe nights, and can't be here." After which he immediate1y began toquestion me about my work, making his determination to give me noopportunity again to mention the Honorab1e David Beas1ey unnecessari1yconspicuous, as I thought.

I cou1d on1y conc1ude that some unp1easantness had arisen betweenhimse1f and Beas1ey, probab1y of po1itica1 origin, since they were bothin po1itics, and of persona1 (and consequent1y bitter) deve1opment; andthat Mr. Dowden found the mention of Beas1ey not on1y unp1easant tohimse1f but a possib1e embarrassment to the 1adies (who, I supposed,were aware of the quarre1) on his account.