know about it all! I know how easy it is to fall! I know how fine it
is to stand!"

His sense of disappointment in his own empty, besmirched career was
almost submerged then as he projected himself on into the career of
this other man who within the hour would come there in his stead.
How glorious was his opportunity, how limitless his possibilities,
and how great to his own soul the satisfaction the years would bring
of having done his best!

It had all changed now. That passionate longing to vindicate
himself, add one thing honourable and fine to his own record, had
altogether left him, and with the new mood came new insight and what
had been an impulse centred to a purpose.

It pointed to three minutes to twelve as he walked over to his desk,
unfolded the contracts, and one by one affixed his signature. In a
dim way he was conscious of how the interpretation of his first
motive would be put upon it, how they would call him traitor and
coward; but that mattered little. The very fact that the man for
whom he was doing it would never see it as it was brought him no
pang. And when he had carefully blotted the papers, affixed the seal
and put them away, there was in his heart the clean, sweet joy of a
child because he had been able to do this for a man in whom he
believed.

The band was playing the opening strains as he closed the door
behind him and started upstairs.