And I regard his refusal to do wrong when Stoller wanted him to as quite wiping out the first offence." "Well, my dear, you have burnt your ships behind you.

My only hope is that when we leave here tomorrow, her pessimistic papa's poison will neutralize yours somehow." XLII.
One of the pleasantest incidents of March's sojourn in Carlsbad was his introduction to the manager of the municipal theatre by a common friend who explained the editor in such terms to the manager that he conceived of him as a brother artist.

This led to much bowing and smiling from the manager when the Marches met him in the street, or in their frequent visits to the theatre, with which March felt that it might well have ended, and still been far beyond his desert.

He had not thought of going to the opera on the Emperor's birthnight, but after dinner a box came from the manager, and Mrs.March agreed with him that they could not in decency accept so great a favor.

At the same time she argued that they could not in decency refuse it, and that to show their sense of the pleasure done them, they must adorn their box with all the beauty and distinction possible; in other words, she said they must ask Miss Triscoe and her father.
"And why not Major Eltwin and his wife?
Or Mrs.Adding and Rose ?" She begged him, simply in his own interest, not to be foolish; and they went early, so as to be in their box when their guests came.