I don't think she has stated the case correctly. It isn't that I don't
want to come. Unfortunately, I can't."

The other guests were leaving the tables and Mrs. Allott, getting up,
gave her husband a meaning glance.

"Then I must let Stephen talk to you. You may listen to his arguments; I
have exhausted mine."

"You could not expect me to succeed where you have failed," Allott
remarked, and touched Thirlwell as Mrs. Allott and Evelyn went away.
"Shall we go upstairs for a smoke?"

A lift took them up, and Allott lighted a cigarette when they entered an
unoccupied room. The evening was hot, and Thirlwell sat on the ledge of
the open window and looked out upon the river across the climbing town.
Church spires, the steep roofs of old houses, and the flat tops of
modern blocks, rose in the moonlight through a thin gray haze of smoke.
Lower down, a track of glittering silver ran across to the shadowy Levis
ridge, along the crest of which were scattered twinkling lights.
Presently Allott, who was well preserved and rather fat, turned to
Thirlwell.

"I hope you won't be rash, Jim, and throw away the best chance you may
ever get."

"You mean Sir James's offer of the post with the big engineering firm?"

"I mean that and other things," said Allott dryly. "Perhaps I have
spoken plainly enough; you are not a fool!"