He first
invited his principal London lawyer and his wife--who happened to be
_his_ principal--and then sent a more or less peremptory invitation to
the President of the Bank of Graustark, urging him to join the party
at the Regengetz and motor to the Inn. He was to bring his wife and
any friends that might be stopping with them at the time. The banker
declined. His wife had been dead for twenty years; the only friends he
possessed were directors in the bank, and they happened to be having a
meeting that night. So Mr. Blithers invited his secondary London
lawyer, his French lawyer and two attractive young women who it
appears were related to the latter, although at quite a distance, and
then concluded that it was best to speak to his own wife about the
little affair. She said she couldn't even think of going. Maud might
arrive that very night and she certainly was not going out of the
hotel with such an event as that in prospect.
"But Simpson's wife is coming," protested Mr. Blithers, "and
Pericault's cousins. Certainly you must come.
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