Madison hopes for some fortuitous
coincidence, but I confess I hardly know what he means."
Gerry laughed. "When Madison takes to verbiage," he said, "I should
resort to a plummet and line."
"Sir!" cried Randolph, limping toward the door in angry haste. "Mr.
Madison is one of the loftiest statesmen in the country!"
"Has been. Centrifugal forces are in motion."
"How everybody in politics does hate everybody else!" said Mrs. Croix,
with a patient sigh.
XVIII
The next morning Mrs. Croix sent a peremptory summons to Hamilton.
Although at work upon his "Additional Estimates," he responded at once.
The lady was combing her emotional mane in the sunshine before the
mirror of her boudoir when he arrived, and the maid had been dismissed.
"Well, Egeria," he said, smiling down upon this dazzling vision, "what
is it? What warning of tremendous import have you to deliver, that you
rout a busy Secretary from his work at eleven in the morning? I dared
not loiter, lest your capricious majesty refuse me your door upon my
next evening of leisure--"
"It is not I who am capricious!" cried Mrs.
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