It was a useful remark to have on hand, because it applied equally
well to four prominent statesmen of the day, which quadrupled the
opportunities for using it.

"Meringues haven't got souls," said Eleanor's mother.

"It's a mercy that they haven't," said Clovis; "they would be
always losing them, and people like my aunt would get up missions
to meringues, and say it was wonderful how much one could teach
them and how much more one could learn from them."

"What could you learn from a meringue?" asked Eleanor's mother.

"My aunt has been known to learn humility from an ex-Viceroy,"
said Clovis.

"I wish cook would learn to make curry, or have the sense to leave
it alone," said Arlington, suddenly and savagely.

Eleanor's face softened. It was like one of his old remarks in
the days when there was no abyss between them.

It was during the debate on the Foreign Office vote that Stringham
made his great remark that "the people of Crete unfortunately make
more history than they can consume locally." It was not
brilliant, but it came in the middle of a dull speech, and the
House was quite pleased with it. Old gentlemen with bad memories
said it reminded them of Disraeli.

It was Eleanor's friend, Gertrude Ilpton, who drew her attention