"You will excuse me, my dear Bernadine," he said, "but I see my friend Greening has been tasting a few wines. The 'XX' upon the label here signifies approval. With your permission." He half filled a glass and pushed the bottle towards Bernadine. "Greening's taste is unimpeachable," de Grost declared, setting down his glass empty. "No use being a director of a city business, you know, unless one interests oneself personally in it. Greening's judgment is simply marvellous. I have never tasted a more beautiful wine. If the boom in sherry does come," he continued complacently, "we shall be in an excellent position to deal with it." Bernadine laughed softly. "Oh, my friend--Peter Ruff or Baron de Grost, or whatever you may choose to call yourself," he said, "I am indeed wise to have come to the conclusion that you and I are too big to occupy the same little spot on earth!" De Grost nodded approvingly. "I was beginning to wonder," he remarked, "whether you would not soon arrive at that decision?" "Having arrived at it," Bernadine continued, looking intently at his companion, "the logical sequence naturally occurs to you." "Precisely, my dear Bernadine," de Grost assented. "You say to yourself, no doubt, 'One of us two must go!' Being yourself, you would naturally conclude that it must be me. To tell you the truth, I have been expecting some sort of enterprise of this description for a considerable time." Bernadine shrugged his shoulders. "Your expectations," he said, "seem scarcely to have provided you with a safe conduct." De Grost gazed reflectively into his empty glass. "You see," he explained, "I am such a lucky person. Your arrangements to-night, however, are, I perceive, unusually complete." "I am glad you appreciate them," Bernadine remarked dryly. "I would not for a moment," de Grost continued, "ask an impertinent or an unnecessary question, but I must confess that I am rather concerned to know the fate of my manager--the gentleman whom you yourself, with the aid of a costumier, so ably represented." Bernadine sighed. "Alas!" he said, "your manager was a very obstinate person." "And my clerk?" "Incorruptible!" Bernadine declared. "Absolutely incorruptible! I congratulate you, de Grost. Your society is one of the most wonderful upon the face of this earth. I know little about it, but my admiration is very sincere. Their attention to details and the personnel of their staff is almost perfect. I may tell you at once that no sum that could be offered tempted either of these men." "I am delighted to hear it," de Grost replied, "but I must plead guilty to a little temporary anxiety as to their present whereabouts." "At this moment," Bernadine remarked, "they are within a few feet of us; but, as you are doubtless aware, access to your delightful river is obtainable from these premises. To be frank with you, my dear Baron, we are waiting for the tide to rise."