One vote will do, said Mr David Trimble quoting Harold Wilson after Saturday's meeting of the Ulster Unionist Party's 110-member executive. We also know what Harold Wilson said about a week being a long time in politics, and be assured that this is how it will feel by the time Friday comes around.
Politicians thrive on publicity: it's their oxygen, just to throw in a quote from Margaret Thatcher. From here until the end of the week every word and phrase and comment of Ulster Unionist dissident Assembly members Pauline Armitage and Peter Weir will be parsed, analysed and dissected for clues or hints as to whether they will vote for or against their leader.
They are the kingmakers, or in this instance the makers of Mr Trimble when on Friday he seeks re-election as First Minister. Mr Trimble appears assured of 28 of the 30 votes he requires in the Assembly. But if they both vote No Mr Trimble probably would not be returned and Northern Ireland could be facing into fresh Assembly elections - although there are a couple of other scenarios that should not be ruled out.
Should Ms Armitage support him and Mr Weir vote against, then Mr Trimble will also fail in his reinstatement quest. If Ms Armitage keeps the party faith and Mr Weir abstained, then devolution would be fully back in business.
Indications last night were that both MLAs would turn their backs on Mr Trimble. But that was last night. Their view today could be marginally altered, and who knows what the line will be tomorrow or the day after.
The last veil from this teasing, taunting political dance is unlikely to be shed until a very short time before the expected vote in the Assembly on Friday.
Opportunities like this don't come around very often. Mr Weir and Ms Armitage, if they are at all worthy of the name politician, will ensure that right through this working week the spotlight remains focused on them. But parallel with the publicity will come the pressure. Mr Trimble's emissaries, and perhaps Mr Trimble himself, will be determined suitors as they seek their votes.
Both these politicians want complete IRA decommissioning. Like modern day St Thomases, they want to feel and see the Kalashnikovs and the Semtex.
Of the two it would probably be easier to turn Ms Armitage back to the road of Ulster Unionist salvation.
In recent years she has been embroiled in a number of internal party squabbles, but her quarrel isn't personally with Mr Trimble; rather it is with some of her colleagues in her East Londonderry constituency association.
With the North Down barrister Mr Weir it's different. He doesn't like Mr Trimble, and Mr Trimble doesn't like him. It's personal. It was Mr Trimble who imposed Lady Sylvia Hermon as candidate in North Down in the recent general election, despite the fact that Mr Weir was originally selected as the candidate.
If Mr Weir can't be rerouted to the true Ulster Unionist path then Mr Trimble will be relying on kind fortune, political self-interest or non-unionists coming to his aid. For example, were one or two MLAs from the No wing of unionism to be absent on Friday then Mr Trimble could be elected.
It's happened before, although in truth it is a long shot. Such a possibility already has been flagged and anyone from No unionism who did not vote No on Friday would probably be facing political oblivion in the next Assembly election in May 2003.
Of course, were that to unfold, Mr Blair might find a place for him in the House of Lords? On Saturday Mr Trimble indicated, although he did not spell it out, that if Ms Armitage or Mr Weir did not obey the party whip they would be expelled from the UUP.
And were Mr Trimble not returned then Northern Secretary Dr John Reid may promptly call new Assembly elections. It's a safe bet that neither Mr Weir nor Ms Armitage would be standing as official Ulster Unionist candidates this time around.
Equally, if the two Women's Coalition MLAs redesignated as unionists then Mr Trimble almost certainly would be returned. Under standing orders it takes 30 days to redesignate but if this were necessary standing orders could be quickly changed.
In such an eventuality Friday's vote could be postponed, and Dr Reid could again suspend devolution for a day and resurrect immediately thereafter to allow Prof Monica McWilliams and Ms Jane Morrice to metamorphose as unionists.
"The stakes are high," said Mr Trimble on Saturday. And he wasn't primarily referring to his own future. Because Mr Trimble's future, whether as First Minister or as a Tory shadow spokesman for some department or other, is already assured.
What certainly isn't assured is the future of any unionist who in these bitter winter months would have to stand prematurely in front of the electorate after refusing to support the politician who helped persuade the IRA to deliver.
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