them。　　Nevertheless　they　were　human；　and　it　were　wise　to　take　account；　in
  the　conduct　of　the　case；　of　the　probable　bias　of　each　individual。
  The　President；　overstepping　his　constitutional；　Newtonian　limits；　might
  propose　laws；　Congress　might　acquiesce　in　them；　but　the　Supreme　Court；
  after　listening　to　lawyers　like　Grolier　（and　he　bowed　to　the　attorney）；
  made　them：　made　them；　he　might　have　added；　without　responsibility　to　any
  man　in　our　unique　Republic　that　scorned　kings　and　apotheosized　lawyers。
  A　Martian　with　a　sense　of　humour　witnessing　a　stormy　session　of　Congress
  would　have　giggled　at　the　thought　of　a　few　tranquil　gentlemen　in　another
  room　of　the　Capitol　waiting　to　decide　what　the　people's　representatives
  meantor　whether　they　meant　anything。。。。
  For　the　first　time　since　I　had　known　Theodore　Watling；　however；　I　saw　him
  in　the　shadow　of　another　individual；　a　man　who；　like　a　powerful　magnet；
  continually　drew　our　glances。　　When　we　spoke；　we　almost　invariably
  addressed　him；　his　rare　words　fell　like　bolts　upon　the　consciousness。
  There　was　no　apparent　rift　in　that　personality。
  When；　about　five　o'clock；　the　conference　was　ended　and　we　were　dismissed；
  United　States　Senator；　railroad　presidents；　field…marshals　of　the　law；
  the　great　banker　fell　into　an　eager　conversation　with　Grolier　over　the
  Canon　on　Divorce；　the　subject　of　warm　debate　in　the　convention　that　day。
  Grolier；　it　appeared；　had　led　his　party　against　the　theological　liberals。
  He　believed　that　law　was　static；　but　none　knew　better　its　plasticity；
  that　it　was　infallible；　but　none　so　well　as　he　could　find　a　text　on
  either　side。　　His　reputation　was　not　of　the　popular；　newspaper　sort；　but
  was　known　to　connoisseurs；　editors；　financiers；　statesmen　and　judges；to
  those；　in　short；　whose　business　it　is　to　make　themselves　familiar　with
  the　instruments　of　power。　　He　was　the　banker's　chief　legal　adviser；　the
  banker's　rapier　of　tempered　steel；　sheathed　from　the　vulgar　view　save
  when　it　flashed　forth　on　a　swift　errand。
  〃I'm　glad　to　be　associated　with　you　in　this　case；　Mr。　Paret；〃　Mr。　Grolier
  said　modestly；　as　we　emerged　into　the　maelstrom　of　Wall　Street。　　〃If　you
  can　make　it　convenient　to　call　at　my　office　in　the　morning；　we'll　go　over
  it　a　little。　　And　I'll　see　you　in　a　day　or　two　in　Washington；　Watling。
  Keep　your　eye　on　the　bull；〃　he　added；　with　a　twinkle；　〃and　don't　let　him
  break　any　more　china　than　you　can　help。　　I　don't　know　where　we'd　be　if　it
  weren't　for　you　fellows。〃
  By　〃you　fellows；〃　he　meant　Mr。　Watling's　distinguished　associates　in　the
  Senate。。。。
  Mr。　Watling　and　I　dined　together　at　a　New　York　club。　　It　was　not　a　dinner
  of　herbs。　　There　was　something　exceedingly　comfortable　about　that　club；
  where　the　art　of　catering　to　those　who　had　earned　the　right　to　be　catered
  to　came　as　near　perfection　as　human　things　attain。　　From　the　great；
  heavily　curtained　dining…room　the　noises　of　the　city　had　been　carefully
  excluded；　the　dust　of　the　Avenue；　the　squalour　and　smells　of　the　brown
  stone　fronts　and　laddered　tenements　of　those　gloomy　districts　lying　a
  pistol…shot　east　and　west。　　We　had　a　vintage　champagne；　and　afterwards　a
  cigar　of　the　club's　special　importation。
  〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Watling；　〃mow　that　you're　a　member　of　the　royal　council；
  what　do　you　think　of　the　King？〃
  〃I've　been　thinking　a　great　deal　about　him；〃　I　said；　and　indeed　it　was
  true。　　He　had　made；　perhaps；　his　greatest　impression　when　I　had　shaken
  his　hand　in　parting。　　The　manner　in　which　he　had　looked　at　me　then　had
  puzzled　me；　it　was　as　though　he　were　seeking　to　divine　something　in　me
  that　had　escaped　him。　　〃Why　doesn't　the　government　take　him　over？〃　I
  exclaimed。
  Mr。　Watling　smiled。
  〃You　mean；　instead　of　his　mines　and　railroads　and　other　properties？〃
  〃Yes。　　But　that's　your　idea。　　Don't　you　remember　you　said　something　of
  the　kind　the　night　of　the　election；　years　ago？　　It　occurred　to　me　to…day；
  when　I　was　looking　at　him。〃
  〃Yes；〃　he　agreed　thoughtfully；　〃if　some　American　genius　could　find　a　way
  to　legalize　that　power　and　utilize　the　men　who　created　it　the　worst　of
  our　problems　would　be　solved。　　A　man　with　his　ability　has　a　right　to
  power；　and　none　would　respond　more　quickly　or　more　splendidly　to　a　call
  of　the　government　than　he。　　All　this　fight　is　waste；　Hugh；　damned　waste
  of　the　nation's　energy。〃　　Mr。　Watling　seldom　swore。　　〃Look　at　the
  President！　　There's　a　man　of　remarkable　ability；　too。　　And　those　two
  oughtn't　to　be　fighting　each　other。　　The　President's　right；　in　a　way。
  Yes；　he　is；　though　I've　got　to　oppose　him。〃
  I　smiled　at　this　from　Theodore　Watling；　though　I　admired　him　the　more　for
  it。　　And　suddenly；　oddly；　I　happened　to　remember　what　Krebs　had　said；
  that　our　troubles　were　not　due　to　individuals；　but　to　a　disease　that　had
  developed　in　industrial　society。　　If　the　day　should　come　when　such　men　as
  the　President　and　the　great　banker　would　be　working　together；　was　it　not
  possible；　too；　that　the　idea　of　Mr。　Watling　and　the　vision　of　Krebs　might
  coincide？　　I　was　struck　by　a　certain　seeming　similarity　in　their　views；
  but　Mr。　Watling　interrupted　this　train　of　thought　by　continuing　to
  express　his　own。
  〃Well；they're　running　right　into　a　gale　when　they　might　be　sailing　with
  it；〃　he　said。
  〃You　think　we'll　have　more　trouble？〃　I　asked。
  〃More　and　more；〃　he　replied。　　〃It'll　be　worse　before　it's　better　I'm
  afraid。〃　　At　this　moment　a　club　servant　announced　his　cab；　and　he　rose。
  〃Well；　good…bye；　my　son；〃　he　said。　　〃I'll　hope　to　see　you　in　Washington
  soon。　　And　remember　there's　no　one　thinks　any　more　of　you　than　I　do。〃
  I　escorted　him　to　the　door；　and　it　was　with　a　real　pang　I　saw　him　wave　to
  me　from　his　cab　as　he　drove　away。　　My　affection　for　him　was　never　more
  alive　than　in　this　hour　when；　for　the　first　time　in　my　experience；　he　had
  given　real　evidence　of　an　inner　anxiety　and　lack　of　confidence　in　the
  future。
  XXI。
  In　spite　of　that　unwonted　note　of　pessimism　from　Mr。　Watling；　I　went　home
  in　a　day　or　two　flushed　with　my　new　honours；　and　it　was　impossible　not　to
  be　conscious　of　the　fact　that　my　aura　of　prestige　was　increased
  tremendously　increasedby　the　recognition　I　had　received。　　A　certain
  subtle　deference　in　the　attitude　of　the　small　minority　who　owed
  allegiance　to　the　personage　by　whom　I　had　been　summoned　was　more
  satisfying　than　if　I　had　been　acclaimed　at　the　station　by　thousands　of　my
  fellow…citizens　who　knew　nothing　of　my　journey　and　of　its　significance；
  even　though　it　might　have　a　concern　for　them。　　To　men　like　Berringer；
  Grierson　and　Tallant　and　our　lesser　great　lights　the　banker　was　a　semi…
  mythical　figure；　and　many　times　on　the　day　of　my　return　I　was　stopped　on
  the　street　to　satisfy　the　curiosity　of　my　friends　as　to　my　impressions。
  Had　he；　for　instance；　let　fall　any　opinions；　prognostications　on　the
  political　and　financial　situation？　　Dickinson　and　Scherer　were　the　only
  other　men　in　the　city　who　had　the　honour　of　a　personal　acquaintance　with
  him；　and　Scherer　was　away；　abroad；　gathering　furniture　and　pictures　for
  the　house　in　New　York　Nancy　had　predicted；　and　which　he　had　already　begun
  to　build！　　With　Dickinson　I　lunched　in　private；　in　order　to　give　him　a
  detailed　account　of　the　conference。　　By　five　o'clock　I　was　ringing　the
  door…bell　of　Nancy's　new　mansion　on　Grant　Avenue。　　It　was　several　blocks
  below　my　own。
  〃Well；　how　does　it　feel　to　be　sent　for　by　the　great　sultan？〃　she　asked；
  as　I　stood　before　her　fire。　　〃Of　course；　I　have　always　known　that
  ultimately　he　couldn't　get　along　without　you。〃
  〃Even　if　he　has　been　a　little　late　in　realizing　it；〃　I　retorted。
  〃Sit　down　and　tell　me　all　about　him；〃　she　commanded。
  〃I　met　him　once；　when　Ham　had　the　yacht　at　Bar　Harbor。〃
  〃And　how　did　he　strike　you？〃
  〃As　somewhat　wrapped　up　in　himself；〃　said　Nancy。
  We　laughed　together。
  〃Oh；　I　fell　a　victim；〃　she　went　on。　　〃I　might　have　sailed　off　with　him；
  if　he　had　asked　me。〃
  〃I'm　surprised　he　didn't　ask　you。〃
  〃I　suspect　that　it　was　not　quite　convenient；〃　she　said。　　〃Women　are
  secondary　considerations　to　sultans；　we're　all　very　well　when　they
  haven't　anything　more　serious　to　occupy　them。　　Of　course　that's　why　they
  fascinate　us。　　What　did　he　want　with　you；　Hugh？〃
  〃He　was　evidently　afraid　that　the　government　would　win　the　coal　roads
  suit　unless　I　was　retained。〃
  〃More　laurels！〃　she　sighed。　　〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　be　proud　to　know　you。〃
  〃That's　exactly　what　I've　been　trying　to　impress　on　you　all　these　years；〃
  I　declared。　　〃I've　laid　the　laurels　at　your　feet；　in　vain。〃
  She　sat　with　her　head　back　on　the　cushions；　surveying　me。
  〃Your　dress　is　very　becoming；〃　I　said　irrelevantly。
  〃I　hoped　it　would　meet　your　approval；〃　she　mocked。
  〃I've　been　trying　to　identify　the　shade。　　It's　elusivelike　you。〃
  〃Don't　be　banal。。。。　　What　is　the　colour？〃
  〃Poinsetta！〃
  〃Pretty　nearly；〃　she　agreed；　critically。
  I　took　the　soft　crepe　between　my　fingers。
  〃Poet！〃　she　smiled。　　〃No；　it　isn't　quite　poinsetta。　　It's　nearer　the　red…
  orange　of　a　tree　I　remember　one　autumn；　in　the　White　Mountains；　with　the
  setting　sun　on　it。　　But　that　wasn't　what　we　were　talking　about。　　Laurels！
  Your　laurels。〃
  〃My　laurels；〃　I　repeated。　　〃Such　as　they　are；　I　fling　them　into　your
  lap。〃
  〃Do　you　think　they