He laughed again. “The judge ruled that the question was admissible and must be answered. Well, minded--I’d have minded, of course, very much in a way. I’m a home bird. I’d have hated being away the best part of a year. But there you are. If the call was strong enough, there you are; it would have been business.” She indrew a long breath. “That’s it. It would have been business.” There was then a pause. Harry, who had been talking lightly, then said slowly, “Rosalie, is there something behind this?” She turned towards him with a very nice smile. “Harry, I’ve been doing a very shocking thing. I’ve been making you commit yourself.” “Commit myself?” She nodded. “Been taking down your statement without warning you that it may be used in evidence against you.” He said gravely, “Somehow I don’t like this.” She told him, “Ah, stupid me! I’m making a small thing seem big. Listen, Harry. It was curious to me this about you and Singapore--” “Yes, I noticed that. Why?” “Because there’s an idea of my going out to Singapore.” He was astounded. She might have said to Mars. “You? To Singapore?” “To the East generally. To Bombay, to Rangoon, to Singapore. For about a year.” He was all aback. “For about a year? Rosalie, I can’t--Why on earth--?” She did not like this. The great scheme! Her special mission! It necessitated.... Here was the necessity at which she had checked but confidently ridden on, and Harry was pulled right up by it. His astonishment was not comfortable to her. Was there to be a check then? He said again, “You? A year? But, Rosalie, what on earth--” She pronounced a single word, his own word: “Business.” He was standing before her on the hearthrug. He made a turn and at once turned back. “Are you thinking of this seriously?” “Most seriously.” “Of going?” “Of going. It’s business.” “For a year?” “Harry, yes.” He began to fill his pipe with very slow movements of his fingers, his eyes bent down upon her. “And you called this--just now--a small thing?” She said with a sudden eagerness, “Harry, it’s a very big thing for me, for Field’s. I meant a small thing in the sense not to be made a fuss about.” He made very slowly a negative movement with his head. “I don’t see it like that.” “Let me tell you, Harry.”