human
Who's there? Oh, it's you, is it, Rose? I just wanted to say that I shall probably be down Saturday night. I shan't be able to be away more than one night, worse luck. I suppose you've heard what's happened?
gpt
It's a great bore, for it upsets everything horribly. The one good point about it is that it won't last long.
human
How long?
gpt
You needn't speak so loud. I hear you perfectly. How long? Oh, I think it'll be over by October--may be a little before, but I should say October.
human
Mother thinks there'll be a sort of Trafalgar!
gpt
Nothing of the sort! The people who will win this war, and will win it quickly, are the Russians. We have information that they will mobilise quickly--much more quickly than most people think. You see, my dear Rose, --he was generally rather old-fashioned in his phraseology--
human
; she always remembered that she had heard that phrase from him first.
gpt
We have reason to believe that they can put ten million men into their fighting line every year for fifty years!
human
Oh, I do _hope_ the war won't last as long as that!
gpt
Another three minutes, sir? and the hasty answer at the other end,
human
No, certainly not! I've quite done.