his job for yorrs by the Bishop of London, although the pore
feller's not a bit more religious than you are. But to-day, if
henyone was to offer to bet me a thousan' poun' that you'll end
by bein' a bishop yourself, I shouldn't venture to take the bet.
You and yore crew are gettin' hinfluential: I can see that.
They'll 'ave to give you something someday, if it's only to stop
yore mouth. You 'ad the right instinc' arter all, James: the line
you took is the payin' line in the long run fur a man o' your
sort.

MORELL (decisively--offering his hand). Shake hands, Burgess. Now
you're talking honestly. I don't think they'll make me a bishop;
but if they do, I'll introduce you to the biggest jobbers I can
get to come to my dinner parties.

BURGESS (who has risen with a sheepish grin and accepted the hand
of friendship). You will 'ave your joke, James. Our quarrel's
made up now, isn't it?

A WOMAN'S VOICE. Say yes, James.

Startled, they turn quickly and find that Candida has just come
in, and is looking at them with an amused maternal indulgence
which is her characteristic expression. She is a woman of 33,
well built, well nourished, likely, one guesses, to become
matronly later on, but now quite at her best, with the double
charm of youth and motherhood. Her ways are those of a woman who
has found that she can always manage people by engaging their
affection, and who does so frankly and instinctively without the
smallest scruple. So far, she is like any other pretty woman who