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116 “More or less directly, I came here, and lunched, in the conviction that you were closeted with Belasco. Did you have any lunch?”

“Yes. The blond one drove me out for half an hour.”

“I should have gone with you.”

“Why?”

“I would never sit anywhere seven hours.”

“What would you have done?”

“Gone to Belasco’s house, or telephoned something startling that would have brought him down quickly.”

“For instance?”

“Well, that the theatre was on fire.”

“But when he got there?”

“I’d have made him see it was a joke.”

“Maybe he hasn’t that kind of a sense of humour?”

“Then I should have perished bravely.”

So the incidents of their first day’s careering ended jocularly.

Bambi called Mr. Strong on the wire next day, and told him of Jarvis’s unprofitable sitting. Could he get her a letter to Belasco? Or to any other leading manager? He laughed, said he did not know Belasco,