and something had moved Heron to
stir me into giving him the outline of my early life and Australian
experiences.

'Yes, you're a queer bird,' he opined, after a long silence. 'And your
life confirms my old conviction that, broadly speaking, there are only
two kinds of human beings: those who prey--with an "e," and rarely
with an "a"--and those who are preyed upon: parasites and their hosts.
There are doubtless subdivisions in infinite variety; but I have yet
to meet the man or woman who, in essence, is not parasite or host, the
preyer or the preyed upon.'

'And I----'

'Oh, clearly, and all along the line, you're the host. Mind, I waste
no great sympathy upon you. It is quite an open point which class is
the less deserving or the better off. But in your case it is, perhaps,
rather a pity, because upon the whole I doubt if your fibre is tough
enough to sustain the part. On the other hand, you haven't half
enough--well--suction for a successful parasite; and those between are
apt to get ground up rather small. My advice to you-- But, Lord, is
there any greater folly in all this foolish world than the giving of
advice?'

'Never mind. Let's have it.'

'No, I'll not give advice. But I will state what I believe to be a
fact; and that is that you would be the better for it if you were
sedulously to cultivate a self-regarding policy of _laissez-faire_. It
may be as rotten as you please as a national policy. Our own beloved
countrymen are even now, I think, preparing for the world a most
convincing demonstration of that. But for certain individuals--you
among 'em--it has many points, and, pursued with discretion, is likely
to prove highly beneficial.'

'Ah! The let-be policy?'

Heron nodded. 'Of all creeds,' he said, 'perhaps the one that calls
for the most rigid self-control--for a certain type of man, the type
that most needs its use.'

I had lowered my voice involuntarily, though I knew that Fanny had
long since been sleeping heavily. 'Do you realise what it would mean
in my particular case, on the domestic side?' I asked.

'Well, yes; I think so.'

'Hardly, my friend. It would mean relinquishing the care of my wife to
the police.' There were no secrets between us in this matter.

'Yes, something rather like that, I suppose,' said Heron. 'And don't
you think upon the whole they may be rather better equipped for the
task?'

'My dear Heron!'

'Oh, of course, that tone's unanswerable. But lay aside the
sent