Bertram is silent. After a pause he says:
“What do you advocate, then? A cautious trimming?”
“Trimming was the name which the eighteenth-century politician gave to what we now call opportunism. All sagacious men are not opportunists, but all sagacious men endeavour to create supporters, not antagonists. Now, all violent assertion raises opposition, for human nature is cantankerous and contradictory.”
Critchett enters and hands a card on a salver. “If you please, sir, the gentleman’s waiting below; says he sent you a letter two days ago; gentleman’s head of the firm of Folliott and Hake, sir.”
Bertram looks vaguely about the room. “There are a good many letters unopened. I wonder which it is?”
Fanshawe catches up a pile of letters from a writing-table and sorts them: “Here’s one with ‘Folliott and Hake’ on the seal; how unpractical you are, dear boy!”
Bertram takes the letter and looks at it without curiosity. “It is sure to be something unpleasant. I never heard of Folliott and Hake.”
Fanshawe laughs. “I have; many a time. They have been solicitors in more than one libel case, of which the Torch was defendant. Come, open the letter. See what it says.”
Bertram opens and reads it: “Only that they have a matter of great importance to communicate to me. I really have no idea what it can be. People think so many things important which are of infinitesimal insignificance.”
“You will best correct your ignorance by allowing Mr. Folliott to enter and explain himself.”