‘Perfectly.’
‘Good. You will be in F Mess. F is low, but not the final dregs of the Divisional Headquarters staff, if they can be so called. The Mobile Bath Officer, and his like, are in E Mess.
By the way, a body from your unit, one Bithel, is coming up to command the Mobile Laundry.’
‘So I heard.’
‘Brother of a VC, I understand, and was himself a notable sportsman when younger. Pity they could not find him better employment, for he should be a good type. But we must get on with the job, not spend our time coffee-housing here. Your kit is downstairs?’
‘Yes.’
‘I will give orders for it to be taken round to your billet — you had better go with it to see the place. Come straight back here. I will run through your duties, then take you back to the Mess to meet some of the staff.’
Widmerpool picked up the telephone. He spoke for some minutes about my affairs. Then he said to the operator: ‘Get me Major Farebrother at Command.’
He hung up the receiver and waited.
‘My opposite number at Command is one, Sunny Farebrother, a City acquaintance of mine — rather a slippery customer to deal with. He was my Territorial unit’s Brigade-Major at the beginning of the war.’
‘I met him years ago.’
The telephone bell rang.
‘Well, get cracking,’ said Widmerpool, without commenting on this last observation. ‘The sooner you go, the sooner you’ll be back. There’s a good deal to run through.’
He had already begun to speak on the telephone when I left the room. I saw that I was now in Widmerpool’s power. This, for some reason, gave me a disagreeable, sinking feeling within. On the news that night, motorized elements of the German army were reported as occupying the outskirts of Paris.