“Dear man,” she said, “we rely upon you so much, and to-day you fail to amuse us.  What is there upon your mind?  Let us console you, if we can.”

“Dear lady, it is nothing,” Selingman assured her.  “My company is planning big developments in connection with our business.  The details afford me much food for thought.  My attention, I fear, sometimes wanders.  Forgive me, I will make amends.  When the day comes that my new factories start work, I will give such a party as was never seen.  I will invite you all.  We will have a celebration that every one shall talk of.  And meanwhile, behold!  I will wander no longer.  I declare no trumps.”

Selingman for a time was himself again.  When he cut out, however, he fidgeted a little restlessly around the room and watched Norgate share the same fate with an air of relief.  He laid his hand upon the latter’s arm.

“Come into the other room, Norgate,” he invited.  “I have something to say to you.”

Norgate obeyed at once, but the room was already occupied.  A little blond lady was entertaining a soldier friend at tea.  She withdrew her head from somewhat suspicious proximity to her companion’s at their entrance and greeted Selingman with innocent surprise.

“How queer that you should come in just then, Mr. Selingman!” she exclaimed.  “We were talking about Germany, Captain Fielder and I.”

Selingman beamed upon them both.  He was entirely himself again.  He looked as though the one thing in life he had desired was to find Mrs. Barlow and her military companion in possession of the little drawing-room.

“My country is flattered,” he declared, “especially,” he added, with a twinkle in his eyes, “as the subject seemed to be proving so interesting.”

She made a little grimace at him.

“Seriously, Mr. Selingman,” she continued, “Captain Fielder and I have been almost quarrelling.  He insists upon it that some day or other Germany means to declare war upon us.  I have been trying to point out that before many years have passed England and France will have drifted apart.  Germany is the nearest to us of the continental nations, isn’t she, by relationship and race?”

“Mrs. Barlow,” Selingman pronounced, “yours is the most sensible allusion to international politics which I have heard for many years.  You are right.  If I may be permitted to say so,” he added, “Captain Fielder is wrong.  Germany has no wish to fight with any one.  The last country in the world with whom she would care to cross swords is England.”

“If Germany does not wish for war,” Captain Fielder persisted, “why does she keep such an extraordinary army?  Why does she continually add to her navy?  Why does she infest our country with spies and keep all her preparations as secret as possible?”

“Of these things I know little,” Selingman confessed, “I am a manufacturer, and I have few friends among the military party.  But this we all believe, and that is that the German army and navy are our insurance against trouble from the east.  They are there so that in case of political controversy we shall have strength at our back when we seek to make favourable terms.  As to using that strength, God forbid!”