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〃I know I'm not in debt； no entanglements； got a decent income； pretty good expectations and all that； but I can soon put that all right if I'm not fit without。〃
It was perhaps his first attempt at irony； and he could not help thinking how good it was。
But old Heythorp preserved a deadly silence。 He looked like a stuffed man； a regular Aunt Sally sitting there； with the fixed red in his cheeks； his stivered hair； square block of a body； and no neck that you could see…only wanting the pipe in his mouth！ Could there really be danger from such an old idol？ The idol spoke：
〃I'll give you a word of advice。 Don't hang round there； or you'll burn your fingers。 Remember me to your father。 Good…night！〃
The taxi had stopped before the house in Sefton Park。 An insensate impulse to remain seated and argue the point fought in Bob Pillin with an impulse to leap out； shake his fist in at the window； and walk off。 He merely said； however：
〃Thanks for the lift。 Good…night！〃 And； getting out deliberately； he walked off。
Old Heythorp； waiting for the driver to help him up； thought 'Fatter； but no more guts than his father！'
In his sanctum he sank at once into his chair。 It was wonderfully still there every day at this hour； just the click of the coals； just the faintest ruffle from the wind in the trees of the park。 And it was cosily warm； only the fire lightening the darkness。 A drowsy beatitude pervaded the old man。 A good day's work！ A triumphthat young pup had said。 Yes！ Something of a triumph！ He had held on； and won。 And dinner to look forward to； yet。 A napa nap！ And soon； rhythmic； soft； sonorous； his breathing rose； with now and then that pathetic twitching of the old who dream。
III
1
When Bob Pillin emerged from the little front garden of 23； Millicent Villas ten days later； his sentiments were ravelled； and he could not get hold of an end to pull straight the stuff of his mind。
He had found Mrs。 Larne and Phyllis in the sitting…room； and Phyllis had been crying； he was sure she had been crying； and that memory still infected the sentiments evoked by later happenings。 Old Heythorp had said： 〃You'll burn your fingers。〃 The process had begun。 Having sent her daughter away on a pretext really a bit too thin； Mrs。 Larne had installed him beside her scented bulk on the sofa； and poured into his ear such a tale of monetary woe and entanglement； such a mass of present difficulties and rosy prospects； that his brain still whirled； and only one thing emerged clearly…that she wanted fifty pounds； which she would repay him on quarter…day； for their Guardy had made a settlement by which； until the dear children came of age； she would have sixty pounds every quarter。 It was only a question of a few weeks； he might ask Messrs。 Scriven and Coles； they would tell him the security was quite safe。 He certainly might ask Messrs。 Scriven and Colesthey happened to be his father's solicitors； but it hardly seemed to touch the point。 Bob Pillin had a certain shrewd caution； and the point was whether he was going to begin to lend money to a woman who； he could see； might borrow up to seventy times seven on the strength of his infatuation for her daughter。 That was rather too strong！ Yet； if he didn't she might take a sudden dislike to him； and where would he be then？ Besides； would not a loan make his position stronger？ And thensuch is the effect of love even on the younger generationthat thought seemed to him unworthy。 If he lent at all； it should be from chivalryulterior motives might go hang！ And the memory of the tear…marks on Phyllis's pretty pale…pink cheeks； and her petulantly mournful： 〃Oh！ young man； isn't money beastly！〃 scraped his heart； and ravished his judgment。 All the same； fifty pounds was fifty pounds； and goodness knew how much more； and what did he know of Mrs。 Larne； after all； except that she was a relative of old Heythorp's and wrote storiestold them too； if he was not mistaken？ Perhaps it would be better to see Scrivens'。 But again that absurd nobility assaulted him。 Phyllis！ Phyllis！ Besides； were not settlements always drawn so that they refused to form security for anything？ Thus； hampered and troubled； he hailed a cab。 He was dining with the Ventnors on the Cheshire side； and would be late if he didn't get home sharp to dress。
Driving； white…tiedand waist…coated； in his father's car； he thought with a certain contumely of the younger Ventnor girl； whom he had been wont to consider pretty before he knew Phyllis。 And seated next her at dinner； he quite enjoyed his new sense of superiority to her charms； and the ease with which he could chaff and be agreeable。 And all the time he suffered from the suppressed longing which scarcely ever left him now； to think and talk of Phyllis。 Ventnor's fizz was good and plentiful； his old Madeira absolutely first chop； and the only other man present a teetotal curate； who withdrew with the ladies to talk his parish shop。 Favoured by these circumstances； and the perception that Ventnor was an agreeable fellow； Bob Pillin yielded to his secret itch to get near the subject of his affections。
〃Do you happen；〃 he said airily； 〃to know a Mrs。 Larnerelative of old Heythorp'srather a handsome woman…she writes stories。〃
Mr。 Ventnor shook his head。 A closer scrutiny than Bob Pillin's would have seen that he also moved his ears。
〃Of old Heythorp's？ Didn't know he had any； except his daughter； and that son of his in the Admiralty。〃
Bob Pillin felt the glow of his secret hobby spreading within him。
〃She is； thoughlives rather out of town； got a son and daughter。 I thought you might know her storiesclever woman。〃
Mr。 Ventnor smiled。 〃Ah！〃 he said enigmatically； 〃these lady novelists！ Does she make any money by them？〃
Bob Pillin knew that to make money by writing meant success； but that not to make money by writing was artistic； and implied that you had private means； which perhaps was even more distinguished。 And he said：
〃Oh！ she has private means； I know。〃
Mr。 Ventnor reached for the Madeira。
〃So she's a relative of old Heythorp's；〃 he said。 〃He's a very old friend of your father's。 He ought to go bankrupt； you know。〃
To Bob Pillin； glowing with passion and Madeira； the idea of bankruptcy seemed discreditable in connection with a relative of Phyllis。 Besides； the old boy was far from that！ Had he not just made this settlement on Mrs。 Larne？ And he said：
〃I think you're mistaken。 That's of the past。〃
Mr。 Ventnor smiled。
〃Will you bet？〃 he said。
Bob Pillin also smiled。 〃I should be bettin' on a certainty。〃
Mr。 Ventnor passed his hand over his whiskered face。 〃Don't you believe it； he hasn't a mag to his name。 Fill your glass。〃
Bob Pillin said； with a certain resentment：
〃Well； I happen to know he's just made a settlement of five or six thousand pounds。 Don't know if you call that being bankrupt。〃
〃What！ On this Mrs。 Larne？〃
Confused； uncertain whether he had said something derogatory or indiscreet； or something which added distinction to Phyllis； Bob Pillin hesitated； then gave a nod。
Mr。 Ventnor rose and extended his short legs before the fire。
〃No； my boy；〃 he said。 〃No！〃
Unaccustomed to flat contradiction； Bob Pillin reddened。
〃I'll bet you a tenner。 Ask Scrivens。〃
Mr。 Ventnor ejaculated：
〃Scrivens…but they're not〃 then； staring rather hard； he added： 〃I won't bet。 You may be right。 Scrivens are your father's solicitors too； aren't they？ Always been sorry he didn't come to me。 Shall we join the ladies？〃 And to the drawing…room he preceded a young man more uncertain in his mind than on his feet。。。。
Charles Ventnor was not one to let you see that more was going on within than met the eye。 But there was a good deal going on that evening； and after his conversation with young Bob he had occasion more than once to turn away and rub his hands together。 When； after that second creditors' meeting； he had walked down the stairway which led to the offices of 〃The Island Navigation Company；〃 he had been deep in thought。 Short； squarely built； rather stout； with moustache and large mutton…chop whiskers of a red brown； and a faint floridity in face and dress； he impressed at first sight only by a certain truly British vulgarity。 One felt that here was a hail…fellowwell… met man who liked lunch and dinner； went to Scarborough for his summer holidays； sat on his wife； took his daughters out in a boat and was never sick。 One felt that he went to church every Sunday morning； looked upwards as he moved through life； disliked the unsuccessful； and expanded with his second glass of wine。 But then a clear look into his well…clothed face and red…brown eyes would give the feeling： 'There's something fulvous here； he might be a bit too foxy。' A third look brought the thought： 'He's certainly a bully。' He was not a large creditor of old Heythorp。 With interest on the original； he calculated his claim at three hundred poundsunredeemed shares in that old Ecuador mine。 But he had waited for his money eight years； and could never imagine how it came about that he had been induced to wait so long。 There had been； of course； for one who liked 〃big pots；