In an interval of the conversation one of the Americans turned to Page.
"Mr.Ambassador, there was just one thing wrong with that service." "What was that ?" "We wanted to yell, and we couldn't." "Then why don't you yell now ?" The boy jumped on a chair and began waving his napkin.

"The Ambassador says we may yell," he cried.

"Let's yell!" "And so," said Page, telling the story, "they yelled for five minutes and I yelled with them.

We all felt better in consequence." This geniality, this disposition not to take life too solemnly, sometimes lightened up the sombre atmosphere of the Foreign Office itself.

"Mr.Balfour went on a sort of mild rampage yesterday," Page records.