Douglas didn't answer.  Mrs. Douglas stood up. "Well, I can't waste the rest of the morning arguing intangibles with you, Joseph; I've got to get hold of Madame Vesant at once and have a new horoscope cast for this emergency.  But I can tell you this:  I didn't give the best years of my life putting you where you are today just to have you throw it away through lack of backbone.  Wipe the egg off your chin." She turned and left.