Part 20 (1/2)
And again:
”Serves her right 'Never, never appear at any other theatre, Mr
Machin!''Bended knees!''Utterly!'Cheerful partners! Oh!
cheerful partners!”
He returned to his supper-party nobody said a word about the telephoning But Rose Euclid and Carlo Trent looked even more like conspirators than they did before; and Mr Marrier's joy in life seemed to be just the least bit dian hurriedly, and, without consulting the poet's wishes, subtly turned on all the lights ”Now, don't you think we'd better discuss the question of taking up the option? You know, it expires on Friday”
”No,” said Rose Euclid, girlishly ”It expires to-ot hold of you to-night”
”But Mr Bryany told h on the copy of the option he gave ,” beaht”
”Well,” observed Edward Henry with heartiness, ”I don'tyou that for sheer calm coolness you take the cake However, as Mr
Marrier so ably says, it's all right Now I understand if I go into this affair I can count on you absolutely, and also on Mr Trent's services” He tried to talk as if he had been diplo with actresses and poets all his life
”A--absolutely!” said Rose
And Mr Carlo Trent nodded
”You Iscariots!” Edward Henry addressed them, in the silence of the brain, behind his srapher arrived with certain cases, and at once Rose Euclid and Carlo Trent began instinctively to pose
”To think,” Edward Henry pleasantly reflected, ”that they are hugging therim's secretary happened to telephone just while I was out of the room!”
CHAPTER V
MR SACHS TALKS
I
It was the sudden flash of the photographer's h his closed lids, that somehow instantly inspired Edward Henry to a definite and ruthless line of action He opened his eyes and beheld the triurapher himself, victorious over even the triuuishedcaently, and his sraphed by me, you have each of you reached the summit of your career Be content Retire! Die! Destiny is accomplished”
”Mr Machin,” said Rose Euclid, ”I do believe your eyes were shut!”
”So do I!” Edward Henry curtly agreed
”But you'll spoil the group!”
”Not a bit of it!” said Edward Henry ”I always shut ht I open 's open, what does it matter?”
The truth was that only in the nick of tienuity, invented a way of ruining the photograph The absolute necessity for its ruin had presented itself to hirapher had already finished arranging the hands and shoulders of everybody in an artistic pattern The photograph had to be spoilt for the ih she never read a newspaper, did as a fact look at a picture-newspaper, _The Daily Fil for out of her own purse, at the rate of one halfpenny a day