‘I paid the bill for the radio today,’ Jim said. ‘It cost four hundred dollars. I hope you’ll get some enjoyment out of it.’

‘Oh, I’m sure I will,’ Irene said.

‘Four hundred dollars is a good deal more than I can afford,’ he went on. ‘I wanted to get something that you’d enjoy. It’s the last extravagance we’ll be able to indulge in this year. I see that you haven’t paid your clothing bills yet. I saw them on your dressing table.’ He looked directly at her. ‘Why did you tell me you’d paid them? Why did you lie to me?’

‘I just didn’t want you to worry, Jim,’ she said. She drank some water. ‘I’ll be able to pay my bills out of this month’s allowance. There were the slipcovers last month, and that party.’

‘You’ve got to learn to handle the money I give you a little more intelligently, Irene,’ he said. ‘You’ve got to understand that we won’t have as much money this year as we had last. I had a very sobering talk with Mitchell today. No one is buying anything. We’re spending all our time promoting new issues, and you know how long that takes. I’m not getting any younger, you know. I’m thirty-seven. My hair will be gray next year. I haven’t done as well as I’d hoped to do. And I don’t suppose things will get any better.’

‘Yes, dear,’ she said.