But Holm ignored the opening. "No, no, my friend," he thought to himself, "you can play your miserable hand alone, _I'm_ not going to help you out."
"I have committed the indiscretion of--er--becoming engaged," said the banker, with a faint smile.
"Hearty congratulations, my dear Banker," said Holm, offering his hand.
There was a pause, the banker evidently waiting for Holm, with his customary fluency, to break the ice. Here, however, he was disappointed; Holm merely set his teeth and fell to polishing his silk hat on one sleeve. The banker tried again.
"Mrs. Rantzau, my fiancée, has informed me that we shall be--er--in a sort of way related." He smiled invitingly, and thought: he must come round after that.
Holm was a little in doubt how best to proceed now; he was not averse to prolonging the other's awkwardness.
"Highly honoured, I'm sure. Yes, my son has been so fortunate as to gain the hand of--er--your fiancée's daughter. A charming young lady, charming. Takes after her mother." He checked himself; he had said more than he wished.
The banker shifted some books on the table, then suddenly he slipped up to Holm, laid one hand on his shoulder and said:
"We haven't always got on as well as we might together, Holm; circumstances have sometimes been against our friendly co-operation; but don't you think, now, we might forget all that and try to start on a more friendly footing? We're both old enough now to be glad of peace and amity, and our new relations ought to bring us closer together--what do you say?"
Holm was quite taken aback; he had never seen the banker in this mood before; the man was positively getting sentimental. He had unbuttoned his coat, and his voice was quite gentle.
"It shan't be my fault if we don't, Hermansen. I'm willing to let bygones be bygones. Time cures all sorrows--patches up a doubtful balance-sheet, as you might say----"
"Well, well, it might have been worse--as the auditor said. You're in luck's way, though, Hermansen. I've had the honour of some slight acquaintance with your fiancée in former days."
"Oh, it was some years ago--we met at the house of some mutual friends--abroad. A noble woman, Hermansen, a woman of splendid character."
"One might almost think you'd been my competitor there, Holm, what?" said the banker, with a laugh.