I can see the charm of the quaint old ideas about black cats and so
forth, but I don't for one moment attach any importance to them, nor to
the number thirteen, nor any of that sort of bosh. Indeed as a matter
of fact, I walked round a ladder only today rather than go under it.
But that's simply because I don't go in for trying to be especially
original.'

'No, dear. I think you're quite right.'

'And oddly enough--as I was trying to tell you just now, only you
didn't seem to be listening--a black cat ran across my path only this
afternoon.' He smiled, gratified at the recollection.

'How do you mean, your path? I didn't know you had one--or that there
were any paths about here.'

'How literal women are! I mean _I_ nearly ran over it in a taxi. When I
say I nearly ran over it, I mean that a black cat on the same side of
the taxi (if you must have details) ran away as the taxi drove on....
Yes, Aylmer is a thoroughly good chap, and he and I have enormous
sympathy. I don't know any man in the world with whom I have more
intellectual sympathy than Aylmer Ross. Do you remember how I pointed
him out to you at once at the Mitchells'? And sometimes when I think
how you used to sneer at the Mitchells--oh, you did, you know, dear,
before you knew them--and I remember all the trouble I had to get you
to go there, I wonder--I simply wonder! Don't you see, through going
there, as I advised, we've made one of the nicest friends we ever had.'

'Really, Bruce, you didn't have _any_ trouble to get me to go to the
Mitchells; you're forgetting. The trouble was I couldn't go there very