He rose as if to leave, only to be, at once, surrounded by the other members of the syndicate, imploring him to reconsider his decision. And at length Mr. Blackton allowed himself to be persuaded to resume his chair. His indifference was sublime; to all outward intents and purposes he was utterly bored with the whole proceedings.
“Really, Mr. Blackton—I implore of you, we all implore of you, not to desert us like this.” Sir Raymond’s eyeglass was dreadfully agitated. “Can nothing be done to counteract Mr. Lewisham’s inconceivable stupidity?”
Mr. Blackton affected to consider the point. Not for him to say that he had already decided exactly what was going to be done; not for him to say that the sole object of his recent remarks had been to produce the exact atmosphere that now existed—an
