After so much searching around imaginary lands after imagined paste crown jewels that were described in very real written texts, I no longer wonder why did Disa laugh, but why should we let the Russians keep the jewels ( to have our last laugh, according to C.Kunin ) or why not tell them in the first place( as VN jokingly recommended)?
Dear Jansy,
VN's joke is "do not tell it to the Russians" - - mine is "why not tell it to the Russians" - - two different jokes making the same point I guess. But since you wish to pursue it further, note another problem with the Donohue solution. In the novel it is Baron Bland, not the king, who hides the jewels. He has a helper - - do we know anymore than this? Mr Donohue thinks that Steinmann hides the jewels because the king could have signalled to him from his prison cell - - but the question is who was Bland's helper. Also is Baron Bland the same as Baron B? & does it matter?
Carolyn