"And the one who does the most talking at my council is the gloomiest of
all. He's Lieutenant Flawpicker. He can't see any hope for anything.
He sees all the possibilities of failure. He sees all the chances
against success. And what's the result? Why, when the council rises it
has taken out of the plan every chance of mishap that my intelligence
could foresee and it has provided not one but several safe lines of
orderly retreat in case success proves impossible."
Tetlow gazed at Norman in worshipful admiration. "What a brain! What
a mind!" he ejaculated. "And to think that _you_ could be upset by a
_woman_!"
Norman leaned back in his chair smiling broadly. "Not by a woman," he
corrected. "By a girl--an inexperienced girl of twenty."
"It seems incredible."
"A grain of dust, dropped into a watch movement in just the right
place--you know what happens."