I began to see that Ascher was profoundly moved by this performance. I also began to see why.
“It’s like—like some things in life,” I said, “or what some things ought to be.”
“It’s like what my life is,” said Ascher. “Don’t you see it?”
“I should be rather stupid if I didn’t see it, considering the trouble you took to explain the working of international credit to me for two whole days.”
“Then you do understand.”
“I understand,” I said, “that you are that woman. Your whole complex business is very like hers. It’s the meeting of obligations exactly at the end of their swing, the fact that at the appointed moment there will be something there for you to grasp.”
“And the confidence,” said Ascher. “If the bankers in any country doubt the solvency of the bankers in another country, if there’s the smallest hesitation, an instant’s pause of distrust or fear, then international credit collapses and——”
He flung out his arm with a gesture of complete hopelessness. I realised that if anything went wrong between bankers in their trapeze act there would be a very ugly smash.
“And in your case,” I said, “there’s no net underneath.”
The girl and the three men were safe on firm ground again. They were bowing final acknowledgments to the cheering crowd. I suppose they do the same thing every night of their lives, but they were still able to enjoy the cheering. Their faces were flushed and their eyes sparkled. They are paid, perhaps pretty well paid, for risking their lives; but the applause is the larger part of the reward.