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wonder whether this friendship—or was it just acquaintance?—with these people could have been the moving cause. But no, he would usually argue, an event is simply the result of a situation's meeting up with a particular character or temperament. In short, it would all have happened, anyway.
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    Perhaps it had been negligent of Donald not to have discussed with his wife in greater detail the ever-present subject of money. But because he felt himself to be prosperous it hadn't seemed important.
    One day he came home to find a painting on prominent display between the windows.
    â€œWhat's this?”
    Lillian wore the proud look of a mother with a new baby. “I bought it this afternoon. Do you like it?”
    â€œYes, oh yes I do.”
    It was a small-sized oil, suitably framed in what looked like old wood, of a winter scene with angular, dark branches and slender, short new growth half buried in blue-white snow, all these wrapped in a stillness of silvery gray air.
    â€œWaiting for spring,” he said, stepping back for a better view. “I have a sense of late winter, of thaw. Maybe it's February. Where did you find it?”
    â€œAt that showing this afternoon. I couldn't take my eyes away. And it was a very good buy.”
    â€œReally? How much?”
    â€œSeventy-five hundred. It's worth much more. It's old. Nineteen-ten.”
    â€œSeven thousand, five hundred— Lillian!”
    â€œFor goodness sake, you know what prices art commands these days. You've been around enough with me to recognize a bargain.”
    â€œThat depends on the point of view, the ability to pay.”
    â€œI don't understand. I've not been extravagant, have I?”
    She was staring at him as if she could scarcely believe him.
    â€œNo, but—come on in here to my desk. I need to show you some figures that I guess I should have shown you before this. Look here.”
    Drawing on a pad, he made a simple chart: so much for income, so much for taxes, the remainder subdivided for rent, insurance, daily living, and savings.
    â€œWe have to start some real saving. Oh, we can live well, we do live well, but we have to be prudent. There will be children who will need money for their education. So we need to discuss all our big purchases, like this painting, for instance, before we go ahead.”
    She did not answer at once. Frowning a little, she stood at the desk, caressing her smooth hands while she appeared to be studying her rings. It was a habit she had very lately developed, and it bothered him.
    â€œI thought you made much more than this,” she said.
    â€œI don't know what made you think so. It's a very handsome income.”
    â€œI didn't mean that it wasn't a great deal of money, of course I didn't. I meant that if I had known this, I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to take the painting. But Chloe kept saying, ‘For heaven's sake, treat yourself. You're dying to have it,' and I was embarrassed to walk away without it.”
    â€œBut how did you pay?”
    â€œChloe did. She gave them a check, so now we owe her.”
    Feeling a strong rise of anger, he waited to let it subside before he should say something that he might later regret.
    â€œI can pay part, Donald. It won't be much, but I still get salary every week from Buzley, don't I? So I can help.”
    Making amends, she stumbled over her words. And when he saw her condition, his anger actually did subside.
    â€œNo,” he said, “I'll take care of it. Only next time, let's talk it over first. Agreed?”
    â€œYou can call it a birthday present and a Christmas present combined for the next few years, Donald,” she said, now almost in tears.
    She was so contrite that he even began to feel sorry for her.
    â€œLeave that to me. In the meantime, we'll enjoy the painting together. It'll be our treasure,” he added, and actually began to feel good about the whole matter.
    Then suddenly later in