The influence of gaslight or electric light on the growth of paraheliotropic trees

Behind the scenes of a party, a real knockdown, loads of conspicuous consumption, every one in their finest suits and smartest dresses, elegant and fashionable in this second fin-de-seicle, band playing w/ horns, people dancing and drinking and standing around in wide welcoming circles, behind the scenes the paterfamilias, the owner of all of this is, is meeting with his confidantes  and heirs and dealing with a terribly unpleasant unwinding, a mass deleveraging, a coming together — a bad decision, a less of two evils, is about to get made, and paterfamilias is going to have to make it. The soiree’s ironic juxtaposition is not lost on him — the money spent out there, the money at stake in here, in this sumptuously adorned office, a home office, full of trinkets and trophies, the trappings of his kingdom. A decision. You wait until the last minute and then you jump — being early is the same as being wrong. Well, this was it. It was time to jump.