Theirs was a fine, clean specimen of friendship.

How fine, Valentine never rightly knew until this evening.
They were sitting together in Valentine's flat in that hour when he became serious and expansive.

He had rather a habit of becoming serious toward midnight, especially if he was with only one person; and no desire to please interfered with his natural play of mind and of feeling when he was with Julian.

To affect any feeling with Julian would have seemed like being on conventional terms with an element, or endeavouring to deceive one's valet about one's personal habits.

Long ago Julian and he had, in mind, taken up their residence together, fallen into the pleasant custom of breakfasting, lunching, and dining on all topics in common.