I didn't know whether to say "yes" or "no," that I was glad or that I
was sorry.

"But it doesn't alter the quality of your book," I consoled him.

He brightened, "No," he said, "it doesn't; I am glad you said that."

We talked about other things, music and old furniture and people. He
had, he said, thought of buying a house in Chelsea. It was, I realised,
not exactly the entry he had planned but I encouraged the idea. There
was, I explained, nothing like the Thames.

And so we rambled on till he took his leave. But five minutes after his
departure I heard the bell ring. Delancey burst back into the room,

"I forgot to tell you," he said, "that 185,000 copies of 'Transition'
have sold."




VI

A MOTOR

[_To ALICE LONGWORTH_]


There is a special quality about a December sunset. The ruffles of red
gold gradually untightening, the congested mauve islands on a