speculator who loves the excitement of the risks he takes. I remember
exhorting him to prudence. I said: "This isn't art, it's speculation.
You're taking considerable risks, my friend."

He took his cigarette out of his mouth, dispersed the smoke, and looked
at me very straight and without a twinkle.

"I've got to make money," he said, "and to make it soon. I should be
taking worse risks if I didn't."

It's marvellous how he has pulled it off. Just as he said, dates and all.
For he named the dates for each stage of his advance.

That was in March; about a week before Easter, nineteen-six.

* * * * *

The next day I went up to Hampstead towards teatime, to see how Viola was
getting on. I didn't expect to see Jevons there, for he'd left. He told
me in a burst of confidence he'd had to. He couldn't stand it. It was
getting too risky. He was living now in rooms in Bernard Street, not far
from mine.

At Hampstead I was told that Miss Thesiger was out. She had gone for a
walk on the Heath with Mr. Jevons, but they were coming in at half-past
four for tea. If I'd step upstairs into the sitting-room I'd find her
brother, Captain Thesiger, waiting there.

I stepped upstairs and found Captain Thesiger. I was glad to find him,
for I don't mind owning that by this time I was getting somewhat uneasy