CONRAD:TheSecretAgent，Chapter10CHAPTER10
THEAssistantCommissioner，drivenrapidlyinahansomfromtheneighbourhoodofSohointhedirectionofWestminster，gotoutattheverycentreoftheEmpireonwhichthesunneversets。Somestalwartconstables，whodidnotseemparticularlyimpressedbythedutyofwatchingtheaugustspot，salutedhim。PenetratingthroughaportalbynomeansloftyintotheprecinctsoftheHourwhichistheHouse，parexcellence，inthemindsofmanymillionsofmen，hewasmetatlastbythevolatileandrevolutionaryToodles。
ThatneatandniceyoungmanconcealedhisastonishmentattheearlyappearanceoftheAssistantCommissioner，whomhehadbeentoldtolookoutforsometimeaboutmidnight。Histurningupsoearlyheconcludedtobethesignthatthings，whatevertheywere，hadgonewrong。Withanextremelyreadysympathy，whichinniceyoungstersgoesoftenwithajoyoustemperament，hefeltsorryforthegreatPresencehecalled`TheChief，andalsofortheAssistantCommissioner，whosefaceappearedtohimmoreominouslywoodenthaneverbefore，andquitewonderfullylong。`Whataqueer，foreign—lookingchapheis，’hethoughttohimself，smilingfromadistancewithfriendlybuoyancy。Anddirectlytheycametogetherhebegantotalkwiththekindintentionofburyingtheawkwardnessoffailureunderaheapofwords。Itlookedasifthegreatassaultthreatenedforthatnightweregoingtofizzleout。Aninferiorhenchmanof`thatbruteCheeseman’
wasupboringmercilesslyaverythinHousewithsomeshamelesslycookedstatistics。He，Toodles，hopedhewouldborethemintoacountouteveryminute。ButthenhemightbeonlymarkingtimetoletthatguzzlingCheesemandineathisleisure。Anyway，theChiefcouldnotbepersuadedtogohome。
`Hewillseeyouatonce，Ithink。He’ssittingallaloneinhisroomthinkingofallthefishesofthesea，’concludedToodles，airily。`Comealong。’