others. The whole thing was quickly and naturally done; it was merely one among a thousand million other cases in which his mind was ready to take advantage of any possible opportunity that Fate might cast in his way. The torn letter might conceivably at some future date be useful to him. Therefore he kept it. It is no use to guard against certainties—such was his gospel—for certainties in this life are so few as to be practically negligible. But he who guarded against contingencies and provided for possibilities was the winner in the long-run.
This done, he dismissed the matter from his mind, and, in order not to let the moments pass without seed, sketched out in some detail the plan of the stage as suggested by the two Watteau prints. He was deep in this when Mrs. Emsworth entered. The ' shiffong ' suited her admirably.
' You have been waiting,'she said; ' I am sorry for keeping you. Oh, Harold, they love me over here; they just love me!'
His part was at his finger-tips.
' That doesn't seem to me in the least remarkable,' he said. ' You are a success; no one can be more. I want to be allowed to commemorate it.' And he handed her the jewel-case.
He was no niggard when business was involved; his business now was to keep her in a good temper, and the opal and diamond brooch he had chosen at Tiffany's was really admirable. Even Mrs. Palmer might have found it brought consolation to a wounded spirit.
' That is dear of you, Harold,' she said; ' I adore opals. Is it really for me? Thank you ever so much. It goes on now. Is it rather big for the morning? I think it is. A reason the more for wearing it.'
She pinned it into her dress, and sat down.
' Well?' she said.
' I came really to congratulate you,' said he; ' but as I
