Пробний камінь
I
“ComeandhearDinslowtalkabouthispatent:admissionfree,”oneofthemensangoutinatoneofmockresignation.
DinslowturnedtoGlennardtheconfidentpugnacityofhissmile.“Giveitanothersixmonthsandit’llbetalkingaboutitself,”hedeclared.“It’sprettynearlyarticulatenow.”
“Canitsaypapa?”someoneelseinquired.
Dinslow’ssmilebroadened.“You’llbedeucedgladtosaypapatoitayearfromnow,”heretorted.“It’llbeabletosupportevenyouinaffluence.Lookhere,now,justletmeexplaintoyou—”
Glennardmovedawayimpatiently.Themenattheclub—allbutthosewhowere“init”—wereproverbially“tired”ofDinslow’spatent,andnonemoresothanGlennard,whoseknowledgeofitsmeritsmadeitloomlargeinthedepressingcatalogueoflostopportunities.Therelationsbetweenthetwomenhadalwaysbeenfriendly,andDinslow’surgentoffersto“takehiminonthegroundfloor”hadoflateintensifiedGlennard’ssenseofhisowninabilitytomeetgoodluckhalfway.Someofthemenwhohadpausedtolistenwerealreadyineveningclothes,othersontheirwayhometodress;andGlennard,withanaccustomedtwingeofhumiliation,saidtohimselfthatifhelingeredamongthemitwasinthemiserablehopethatoneofthenumbermightaskhimtodine.MissTrenthadtoldhimthatshewastogototheoperathateveningwithherrichaunt;andifheshouldhavethelucktopickupadinner-invitationhemightjoinhertherewithoutextraoutlay
