Mr. Lewis was so engrossed that he even forgot the wine glass in his hand: "So... was your previous work as cautious and resourceful as described in those books?"
Arthur's smile was faint, with a hint of jest and self-deprecation: "Resourceful isn't quite it. Most of the time, it was merely making do. Think about it! The interaction between countries isn't like the interaction between two people; it's the interaction between groups of people. So many people, each with their own temperaments, misunderstandings, prejudices, greed... A diplomat's job sounds noble, but even the best diplomat can't make everyone happy; he merely ensures no one is unhappy enough to flip the table. But a bad diplomat, well, there's a lot he could do..."
Mr. Lewis couldn't help but ask, "What could he do?"
