“Mine, too,” called another, red in the face. “Thank ‘Gott’ they took us out of that hellhole.”
“Socialists,” Shafer commented.
“Socialists? I’ll show you a Socialist.”
The Chicagoan’s friends restrained him.
Shafer took no notice. “We are besieged by England and England’s lackeys.”
Arnold Bennett leaped up, spread his legs in a burly stance, and said, “I don’t at all care for your tone, sir.”
Half the observation car was on their feet by now, gesticulating and shouting. Isaac Bell glanced at Riker who looked back, eyes alight with amusement. “I guess that answers your question, Mr. Bell. Good night, sir, I’m going to bed ahead of the riot.”
Before he could rise from his chair, Shafer shouted, “Besieged from without and undermined within by Socialists and Jews.”
Isaac Bell turned cold eyes on Shafer. The German drew back, mumbling, “Wait. When they finish us off, they’ll go after you.”
Isaac Bell drew a deep breath, reminded himself why he was on the train, and answered in a voice that carried through the car. “After Admiral Mahan demonstrated that sea powers rule the world, he said something to a bigot that I’ve always admired: ‘Jesus Christ was a Jew. That makes them good enough for me.’”
The shouting stopped. A man laughed. Another said, “Say, that’s a good one. ‘Good enough for me,’ ” and the car erupted in laughter.
Shafer clicked his heels. “Good night, gentlemen.”
Riker watched the cavalryman retreat toward the nearest steward and demand schnapps. “For a moment there,” he said quietly, “I thought you were going to floor Herr Shafer.”
Bell looked at the gem merchant. “You don’t miss much, Mr. Riker.”
“I told you. My father taught me every trick in the book. What got you so riled?”
“I will not abide hatred.”
Riker shrugged. “To answer your question-truthfully-Europe wants a war. Monarchists, democrats, merchants, soldiers, and sailors have been at peace too long to know what they’re in for.”
“That is too cynical for my taste,” said Isaac Bell.
Riker smiled blandly. “I’m not a cynic. I’m a realist.”
“What about those sensible businessmen you were talking about?’
“Some will see the profit in war. The rest will be ignored.”
THE SPY WATCHED Isaac Bell watching his “suspects”:
The detective cannot know whether I am here in this very car.
Or already asleep in my bed.
Or even on the train at all.
Nor can he know who on this train belongs to me.
Get some sleep, Mr. Bell. You’re going to need it. Bad news in the morning.
36
YOUR SHAD ROE AND SCRAMBLED EGGS, MR. BELL,” announced the diner steward with a broad smile that faded as he saw the expression on Bell’s face change from pleasurable anticipation to rag
e. Two hours from its destination, the 20th Century Limited had picked up Chicago morning newspapers left by an eastbound express. A crisp edition folded at each place setting greeted the passengers at breakfast.