the yellow god-第5章

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〃It　is；　Sir　Robert；〃　went　on　Alan　with　a　rush；　〃that　I　do　not　like　the
lines　upon　which　this　business　is　being　worked；　and　I　wish　to　give　up
my　interest　in　it　and　retire　from　the　firm；　as　I　have　a　right　to　do
under　our　deed　of　partnership。〃

〃Have　you？〃　said　Aylward。　〃Really；　I　forget。　But；　my　dear　fellow；　do
not　think　that　we　should　wish　to　keep　you　for　one　moment　against　your
will。　Only；　might　I　ask；　has　that　old　puritan；　Jackson；　hypnotized
you；　or　is　it　a　case　of　sudden　madness　after　influenza？〃

〃Neither；〃　answered　Alan　sternly；　for　although　he　might　be　diffident
on　matters　that　he　did　not　thoroughly　understand；　he　was　not　a　man　to
brook　trifling　or　impertinence。　〃It　is　what　I　have　said；　no　more　nor
less。　I　am　not　satisfied　either　as　to　the　capitalization　or　as　to　the
guarantee　that　the　enterprise　can　be　really　carried　out。　Further〃and
he　paused；〃Further；　I　should　like　what　I　have　never　yet　been　able　to
obtain；　more　information　as　to　that　Firman　under　which　the　concession
is　granted。〃

For　one　moment　a　sort　of　tremor　passed　over　Sir　Robert's　impassive
countenance；　while　Mr。　Haswell　uttered　his　windy　whistle；　this　time　in
a　tone　of　plaintive　remonstrance。

〃As　you　have　formally　resigned　your　membership　of　the　firm；　I　do　not
see　that　any　useful　purpose　can　be　served　by　discussing　such　matters。
The　fullest　explanations；　of　course；　we　should　have　been　willing　to
give〃

〃My　dear　Alan；〃　broke　in　Mr。　Champers…Haswell；　who　was　quite　upset；　〃I
do　implore　you　to　reflect　for　one　moment；　for　your　own　sake。　In　a
single　week　you　would　have　been　a　wealthy　man；　do　you　really　mean　to
throw　away　everything　for　a　whim？〃

〃Perhaps　Vernon　remembers　that　he　holds　over　1700　of　the　Syndicate
shares　which　we　have　worked　up　to　￡18；　and　thinks　it　wiser　to　capture
the　profit　in　sight；　generally　speaking　a　very　sound　principle；〃
interrupted　Aylward　sarcastically。

〃You　are　mistaken；　Sir　Robert；〃　replied　Alan；　flushing。　〃The　way　that
those　shares　have　been　artificially　put　up　is　one　of　the　things　to
which　I　most　object。　I　shall　only　ask　for　mine　the　face　value　which　I
paid　for　them。〃

Now　notwithstanding　their　experience；　both　of　the　senior　partners　did
for　a　moment　look　rather　scared。　Such　folly；　or　such　honesty；　was
absolutely　incredible　to　them。　They　felt　that　there　must　be　much
behind。　Sir　Robert；　however；　recovered　instantly。

〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　not　for　us　to　dictate　to　you；　you　must
make　your　own　bed　and　lie　on　it。　To　argue　or　remonstrate　would　only　be
rude。〃　He　put　out　his　hand　and　pushed　the　button　of　an　electric　bell；
adding　as　he　did　so；　〃Of　course　we　understand　one　thing；　Vernon；
namely；　that　as　a　gentleman　and　a　man　of　honour　you　will　make　no
public　use　of　the　information　which　you　have　acquired　during　your　stay
in　this　office；　either　to　our　detriment；　personal　or　financial；　or　to
your　own　advantage。〃

〃Certainly　you　may　understand　that；〃　replied　Vernon。　〃Unless　my
character　is　attacked　and　it　becomes　necessary　for　me　to　defend
myself；　my　lips　are　sealed。〃

〃That　will　never　happenwhy　should　it？〃　said　Sir　Robert　with　a　polite
bow。

The　door　opened　and　the　head　clerk；　Jeffreys；　appeared。

〃Mr。　Jeffreys；〃　said　Sir　Robert；　〃please　find　us　the　deed　of
partnership　between　Major　Vernon　and　ourselves；　and　bring　it　here。　One
moment。　Please　make　out　also　a　transfer　of　Major　Vernon's　parcel　of
Sahara　Syndicate　shares　to　Mr。　Champers…Haswell　and　myself　at　par
value；　and　fill　in　a　cheque　for　the　amount。　Please　remove　also　Major
Vernon's　name　wherever　it　appears　in　the　proof　prospectus；　andyes
one　thing　more。　Telephone　to　Spectonthe　Right　Honourable　the　Earl　of
Specton；　I　mean；　and　say　that　after　all　I　have　been　able　to　arrange
that　he　shall　have　a　seat　on　the　Board　and　a　block　of　shares　at　a　very
moderate　figure；　and　that　if　he　will　wire　his　assent；　his　name　shall
be　put　into　the　prospectus。　You　approve；　don't　you；　Haswell？yes
then　that　is　all；　I　think；　Jeffreys；　only　please　be　as　quick　as　you
can；　for　I　want　to　get　away。〃

Jeffreys；　the　immaculate　and　the　impassive；　bowed；　and　casting　one
swift　glance　at　Vernon　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　departed。

What　is　called　an　awkward　pause　ensued；　in　fact　it　was　a　very　awkward
pause。　The　die　was　cast；　the　matter　ended；　and　what　were　the
principals　to　do　until　the　ratifications　had　been　exchanged　or；　a
better　simile　perhaps；　the　/decree　nisi/　pronounced　absolute。　Mr。
Champers…Haswell　remarked　that　the　weather　was　very　cold　for　April；
and　Alan　agreed　with　him；　while　Sir　Robert　found　his　hat　and　brushed
it　with　his　sleeve。　Then　Mr。　Haswell；　in　desperation；　for　in　minor
matters　he　was　a　kindly　sort　of　man　who　disliked　scenes　and
unpleasantness；　muttered　something　as　to　seeing　himAlanat　his
house；　The　Court；　in　Hertfordshire；　from　Saturday　to　Monday。

〃That　was　the　arrangement；〃　answered　Alan　bluntly；　〃but　possibly　after
what　has　happened　you　will　not　wish　that　it　should　be　kept。〃

〃Oh！　why　not；　why　not？〃　said　Mr。　Haswell。　〃Sunday　is　a　day　of　rest
when　we　make　it　a　rule　not　to　talk　business；　and　if　we　did；　perhaps　we
might　all　change　our　minds　about　these　matters。　Sir　Robert　is　coming；
and　I　am　sure　that　your　cousin　Barbara　will　be　very　disappointed　if
you　do　not　turn　up；　for　she　understands　nothing　about　these　city
things　which　are　Greek　to　her。〃

At　the　mention　of　the　name　of　Barbara　Sir　Robert　Aylward　looked　up
from　the　papers　which　he　affected　to　be　tidying；　and　Alan　thought　that
there　was　a　kind　of　challenge　in　his　eyes。　A　moment　before　he　had　made
up　his　mind　that　no　power　on　earth　would　induce　him　to　spend　a　Sunday
with　his　late　partners　at　The　Court。　Now；　acting　upon　some　instinct　or
impulse；　he　reversed　his　opinion。

〃Thanks；〃　he　said；　〃if　that　is　understood；　I　shall　be　happy　to　come。　I
will　drive　over　from　Yarleys　in　time　for　dinner　to…morrow。　Perhaps　you
will　say　so　to　Barbara。〃

〃She　will　be　glad；　I　am　sure；〃　answered　Mr。　Haswell；　〃for　she　told　me
the　other　day　that　she　wants　to　consult　you　about　some　outdoor
theatricals　that　she　means　to　get　up　in　July。〃

〃In　July！〃　answered　Alan　with　a　little　laugh。　〃I　wonder　where　I　shall
be　in　July。〃

Then　came　another　pause；　which　seemed　to　affect　even　Sir　Robert's
nerves；　for　abandoning　the　papers；　he　walked　down　the　room　till　he
came　to　the　golden　object　that　has　been　described；　and　for　the　second
time　that　day　stood　there　contemplating　it。

〃This　thing　is　yours；　Vernon；〃　he　said；　〃and　now　that　our　relations
are　at　an　end；　I　suppose　that　you　will　want　to　take　it　away。　What　is
its　history？　You　never　told　me。〃

〃Oh！　that's　a　long　story；〃　answered　Alan　in　an　absent　voice。　〃My
uncle；　who　was　a　missionary；　brought　it　from　West　Africa。　I　rather
forget　the　facts；　but　Jeekie；　my　negro　servant；　knows　them　all；　for　as
a　lad　my　uncle　saved　him　from　sacrifice；　or　something；　in　a　place
where　they　worship　these　things；　and　he　has　been　with　us　ever　since。
It　is　a　fetish　with　magical　powers　and　all　the　rest　of　it。　I　believe
they　call　it　the　Swimming　Head　and　other　names。　If　you　look　at　it；　you
will　see　that　it　seems　to　swim　between　the　shoulders；　doesn't　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Sir　Robert；　〃and　I　admire　the　beautiful　beast。　She　is
cruel　and　artistic；　likelike　finance。　Look　here；　Vernon；　we　have
quarrelled；　and　of　course　henceforth　are　enemies；　for　it　is　no　use
mincing　matters；　only　fools　do　that。　But　in　a　way　you　are　being　hardly
treated。　You　could　get　￡10　apiece　to…day　for　those　shares　of　yours　in
a　block　on　the　market；　and　I　am　paying　you　￡1。　I　understand　your
scruples；　but　there　is　no　reason　why　we　should　not　square　things。　This
fetish　of　yours　has　brought　me　luck；　so　let's　do　a　deal。　Leave　it
here；　and　instead　of　a　check　for　￡1700；　I　will　make　you　one　out　for
￡17；000。〃

〃That's　a　very　liberal　offer；〃　said　Vernon。　〃Give　me　a　moment　to　think
it　over。〃

Then　he　also　walked　into　the　corner　of　the　room　and　contemplated　the
golden　mask　that　seemed　to　float　between　the　frog…like　shoulders。　The
shimmering　eyes　drew　his　eyes；　though　what　he　saw　in　them　does　not
matter。　Indeed　he　could　never　remember。　Only　when　he　straightened
himself　again　there　was　left　on　his　mind　a　determination　that　not　for
seventeen　or　for　seventy　tho