(_An Interview with Mr. H.G. WELLS_).
I found the Sage, as I had expected, in his study at Omniscience Lodge.
There he sat in his new suit of Britlings, surrounded by novels and stories
in MS. dealing with every aspect of human affairs, sixty of the more
important being specifically devoted to the War and the various ways in
which it might conceivably terminate. I modestly approached and presented
myself.
"You have come," he said with a courteous gesture, "to discover my views on
the present conflict?"
"Not exactly," I said.
"Ah," he said; "which is it, then? You can take your choice, you know. All
you have to do is to select the subject," and he handed me a volume
resembling _Kelly's Directory_ in size and colour, and entitled
"_Classified Catalogue of Subjects on which Opinions can be furnished at
the Shortest Notice_." I turned the pages breathlessly until I came to
"Class V, Voter; sub-class P, Proportional Representation." "There," I
said, "is what I want," and I pointed the place out to him.
"Dear me," he said, "you desire guidance on a very simple matter."
"Well," I said, "I'm not so sure about that. It has rather flummoxed us in
our office. We can't make head or tail--"
"You may thank your stars," he interrupted, "that you've come to the right
shop. I'll make it all as clear as daylight in two shakes of a pig's
whisker. Are you ready?"