“Possible! We have pretended well enough to one another. Can’t we, united, pretend to the world? Agreed. Secondly, we owe the Veneerings a grudge, and we owe all other people the grudge of wishing them to be taken in, as we ourselves have been taken in. Agreed?”

“Yes. Agreed.”

“We come smoothly to thirdly. You have called me an adventurer, Sophronia. So I am. In plain uncomplimentary English, so I am. So are you, my dear. So are many people. We agree to keep our own secret, and to work together in furtherance of our own schemes.”

“What schemes?”

“Any scheme that will bring us money. By our own schemes, I mean our joint interest. Agreed?”

She answers, after a little hesitation, “I suppose so. Agreed.”