five tales-第21章

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p　like　that！　　He　walks　in　fearhe　wallows　in　it。　　Poor　devil！'　And　a　curious　feeling　swelled　his　heart；　of　elation；　of　lightness　such　as　he　had　not　known　for　years。　　Those　two　young　things　were　safe　now　from　penury…safe！　　After　dealing　with　those　infernal　creditors　of　his　he　would　go　round　and　have　a　look　at　the　children。　　With　a　hundred　and　twenty　a　year　the　boy　could　go　into　the　Armybest　place　for　a　young　scamp　like　that。　The　girl　would　go　off　like　hot　cakes；　of　course；　but　she　needn't　take　the　first　calf　that　came　along。　As　for　their　mother；　she　must　look　after　herself；　nothing　under　two　thousand　a　year　would　keep　her　out　of　debt。　　But　trust　her　for　wheedling　and　bluffing　her　way　out　of　any　scrape！　　Watching　his　cigar…smoke　curl　and　disperse　he　was　conscious　of　the　strain　he　had　been　under　these　last　six　weeks；　aware　suddenly　of　how　greatly　he　had　baulked　at　thought　of　to…day's　general　meeting。　Yes！　　It　might　have　turned　out　nasty。　　He　knew　well　enough　the　forces　on　the　Board；　and　off；　who　would　be　only　too　glad　to　shelve　him。　　If　he　were　shelved　here　his　other　two　Companies　would　be　sure　to　follow　suit；　and　bang　would　go　every　penny　of　his　incomehe　would　be　a　pauper　dependant　on　that　holy　woman。　　Well！　　Safe　now　for　another　year　if　he　could　stave　off　these　sharks　once　more。　　It　might　be　a　harder　job　this　time；　but　he　was　in　luckin　luck；　and　it　must　hold。　　And　taking　a　luxurious　pull　at　his　cigar；　he　rang　the　handbell。

〃Bring　'em　in　here；　Mr。　Farney。　　And　let　me　have　a　cup　of　China　tea　as　strong　as　you　can　make　it。〃

〃Yes；　sir。　　Will　you　see　the　proof　of　the　press　report；　or　will　you　leave　it　to　me？〃

〃To　you。〃

〃Yes；　sir。　　It　was　a　good　meeting；　wasn't　it？〃

Old　Heythorp　nodded。

〃Wonderful　how　your　voice　came　back　just　at　the　right　moment。　　I　was　afraid　things　were　going　to　be　difficult。　　The　insult　did　it；　I　think。　　It　was　a　monstrous　thing　to　say。　　I　could　have　punched　his　head。〃

Again　old　Heythorp　nodded；　and；　looking　into　the　secretary's　fine　blue　eyes；　he　repeated：　〃Bring　'em　in。〃

The　lonely　minute　before　the　entrance　of　his　creditors　passed　in　the　thought：　'So　that's　how　it　struck　him！　　Short　shrift　I　should　get　if　it　came　out。'

The　gentlemen；　who　numbered　ten　this　time；　bowed　to　their　debtor；　evidently　wondering　why　the　deuce　they　troubled　to　be　polite　to　an　old　man　who　kept　them　out　of　their　money。　　Then；　the　secretary　reappearing　with　a　cup　of　China　tea；　they　watched　while　their　debtor　drank　it。　　The　feat　was　tremulous。　　Would　he　get　through　without　spilling　it　all　down　his　front；　or　choking？　　To　those　unaccustomed　to　his　private　life　it　was　slightly　miraculous。　　He　put　the　cup　down　empty；　tremblingly　removed　some　yellow　drops　from　the　little　white　tuft　below　his　lip；　refit　his　cigar；　and　said：

〃No　use　beating　about　the　bush；　gentlemen；　I　can　offer　you　fourteen　hundred　a　year　so　long　as　I　live　and　hold　my　directorships；　and　not　a　penny　more。　　If　you　can't　accept　that；　you　must　make　me　bankrupt　and　get　about　sixpence　in　the　pound。　　My　qualifying　shares　will　fetch　a　couple　of　thousand　at　market　price。　　I　own　nothing　else。　　The　house　I　live　in；　and　everything　in　it；　barring　my　clothes；　my　wine；　and　my　cigars；　belong　to　my　daughter　under　a　settlement　fifteen　years　old。　My　solicitors　and　bankers　will　give　you　every　information。　　That's　the　position　in　a　nutshell。〃

In　spite　of　business　habits　the　surprise　of　the　ten　gentlemen　was　only　partially　concealed。　　A　man　who　owed　them　so　much　would　naturally　say　he　owned　nothing；　but　would　he　refer　them　to　his　solicitors　and　bankers　unless　he　were　telling　the　truth？　　Then　Mr。　Ventnor　said：

〃Will　you　submit　your　pass　books？〃

〃No；　but　I'll　authorise　my　bankers　to　give　you　a　full　statement　of　my　receipts　for　the　last　five　yearslonger；　if　you　like。〃

The　strategic　stroke　of　placing　the　ten　gentlemen　round　the　Board　table　had　made　it　impossible　for　them　to　consult　freely　without　being　overheard；　but　the　low…voiced　transference　of　thought　travelling　round　was　summed　up　at　last　by　Mr。　Brownbee。

〃We　think；　Mr。　Heythorp；　that　your　fees　and　dividends　should　enable　you　to　set　aside　for　us　a　larger　sum。　　Sixteen　hundred；　in　fact；　is　what　we　think　you　should　give　us　yearly。　　Representing；　as　we　do；　sixteen　thousand　pounds；　the　prospect　is　not　cheering；　but　we　hope　you　have　some　good　years　before　you　yet。　　We　understand　your　income　to　be　two　thousand　pounds。〃

Old　Heythorp　shook　his　head。　　〃Nineteen　hundred　and　thirty　pounds　in　a　good　year。　　Must　eat　and　drink；　must　have　a　man　to　look　after　me　not　as　active　as　I　was。　　Can't　do　on　less　than　five　hundred　pounds。　Fourteen　hundred's　all　I　can　give　you；　gentlemen；　it's　an　advance　of　two　hundred　pounds。　　That's　my　last　word。〃

The　silence　was　broken　by　Mr。　Ventnor。

〃And　it's　my　last　word　that　I'm　not　satisfied。　　If　these　other　gentlemen　accept　your　proposition　I　shall　be　forced　to　consider　what　I　can　do　on　my　own　account。〃

The　old　man　stared　at　him；　and　answered：

〃Oh！　　you　will；　sir；　we　shall　see。〃

The　others　had　risen　and　were　gathered　in　a　knot　at　the　end　of　the　table；　old　Heythorp　and　Mr。　Ventnor　alone　remained　seated。　　The　old　man's　lower　lip　projected　till　the　white　hairs　below　stood　out　like　bristles。　　'You　ugly　dog；'　he　was　thinking；　'you　think　you've　got　something　up　your　sleeve。　　Well；　do　your　worst！'　　The　〃ugly　dog〃　rose　abruptly　and　joined　the　others。　　And　old　Heythorp　closed　his　eyes；　sitting　perfectly　still；　with　his　cigar；　which　had　gone　out；　sticking　up　between　his　teeth。　　Mr。　Brownbee　turning　to　voice　the　decision　come　to；　cleared　his　throat。

〃Mr。　Heythorp；〃　he　said；　〃if　your　bankers　and　solicitors　bear　out　your　statements；　we　shall　accept　your　offer　faute　de　mieux；　in　consideration　of　your〃　but　meeting　the　old　man's　eyes；　which　said　so　very　plainly：　〃Blow　your　consideration！〃　he　ended　with　a　stammer：　〃Perhaps　you　will　kindly　furnish　us　with　the　authorisation　you　spoke　of？〃

Old　Heythorp　nodded；　and　Mr。　Brownbee；　with　a　little　bow；　clasped　his　hat　to　his　breast　and　moved　towards　the　door。　　The　nine　gentlemen　followed。　　Mr。　Ventnor；　bringing　up　the　rear；　turned　and　looked　back。　But　the　old　man's　eyes　were　already　closed　again。

The　moment　his　creditors　were　gone；　old　Heythorp　sounded　the　hand…　bell。

〃Help　me　up；　Mr。　Farney。　　That　Ventnorwhat's　his　holding？〃

〃Quite　small。　　Only　ten　shares；　I　think。〃

〃Ah！　　What　time　is　it？〃

〃Quarter　to　four；　sir。〃

〃Get　me　a　taxi。〃

After　visiting　his　bank　and　his　solicitors　he　struggled　once　more　into　his　cab　and　caused　it　to　be　driven　towards　Millicent　Villas。　　A　kind　of　sleepy　triumph　permeated　his　whole　being；　bumped　and　shaken　by　the　cab's　rapid　progress。　　So！　　He　was　free　of　those　sharks　now　so　long　as　he　could　hold　on　to　his　Companies；　and　he　would　still　have　a　hundred　a　year　or　more　to　spare　for　Rosamund　and　her　youngsters。　　He　could　live　on　four　hundred；　or　even　three…fifty；　without　losing　his　independence；　for　there　would　be　no　standing　life　in　that　holy　woman's　house　unless　he　could　pay　his　own　scot！　　A　good　day's　work！　The　best　for　many　a　long　month！

The　cab　stopped　before　the　villa。




3

There　are　rooms　which　refuse　to　give　away　their　owners；　and　rooms　which　seem　to　say：　'They　really　are　like　this。'　Of　such　was　Rosamund　Larne'sa　sort　of　permanent　confession；　seeming　to　remark　to　anyone　who　entered：　'Her　taste？　　Well；　you　can　seecheerful　and　exuberant；　her　habitsyes；　she　sits　here　all　the　morning　in　a　dressing…gown；　smoking　cigarettes　and　dropping　ink；　kindly　observe　my　carpet。　Notice　the　pianoit　has　a　look　of　coming　and　going；　according　to　the　exchequer。　　This　very　deep…cushioned　sofa　is　permanent；　however；　the　water…colours　on　the　walls　are　safe；　toothey're　by　herself。　　Mark　the　scent　of　mimosashe　likes　flowers；　and　likes　them　strong。　　No　clock；　of　course。　　Examine　the　bureaushe　is　obviously　always　ringing　for　〃the　drumstick；〃　and　saying：　〃Where's　this；　Ellen；　and　where's　that？　　You　naughty　gairl；　you've　been　tidying。〃　　Cast　an　eye　on　that　pile　of　manuscriptshe　has　evidently　a　genius　for　composition；　it　flows　off　her　penlike　Shakespeare；　she　never　blots　a　line。　　See　how　she's　had　the　electric　light　put　in；　instead　of　that　horrid　gas；　but　try　and　turn　either　of　them　onyou　can't；　last　quarter　isn't　paid；　of　co