the yellow god-第4节

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be　wealthy。　After　working　so　hard　and　undergoing　so　much　that　he　felt
to　be　humiliating　and　even　degrading；　why　should　he　not　take　his
reward　and　clear　out　afterwards？

This　he　remembered　he　could　do；　since　probably　by　some　oversight　of
Aylward's；　who　left　such　matters　to　his　lawyers；　his　deed　of
partnership　did　not　bind　him　to　a　fixed　term。　It　could　be　broken　at
any　moment。　To　this　argument　there　was　only　one　possible　answer；　that
of　his　conscience。　If　once　he　were　convinced　that　things　were　not
right；　it　would　be　dishonest　to　participate　in　their　profits。　And　he
was　convinced。　Mr。　Jackson's　arguments　and　his　damning　document　had
thrown　a　flood　of　light　upon　many　matters　which　he　had　suspected　but
never　quite　understood。　He　was　the　partner　of；　well；　adventurers；　and
the　money　which　he　received　would　in　fact　be　filched　from　the　pockets
of　unsuspecting　persons。　He　would　vouch　for　that　of　which　he　was
doubtful　and　receive　the　price　of　sharp　practice。　In　other　words　he；
Alan　Vernon；　who　had　never　uttered　a　wilful　untruth　or　taken　a
halfpenny　that　was　not　his　own；　would　before　the　tribunal　of　his　own
mind；　stand　convicted　as　a　liar　and　a　thief。　The　thing　was　not　to　be
borne。　At　whatever　cost　it　must　be　ended。　If　he　were　fated　to　be　a
beggar；　at　least　he　would　be　an　honest　beggar。

With　a　firm　step　and　a　high　head　he　walked　straight　into　Sir　Robert's
room；　without　even　going　through　the　formality　of　knocking；　to　find
Mr。　Champers…Haswell　seated　at　the　ebony　desk　by　his　partner's　side
examining　some　document　through　a　reading…glass；　which　on　his
appearance；　was　folded　over　and　presently　thrust　away　into　a　drawer。
It　seemed；　Alan　noticed；　to　be　of　an　unusual　shape　and　written　in　some
strange　character。

Mr。　Haswell；　a　stout；　jovial…looking；　little　man　with　a　florid
complexion　and　white　hair；　rose　at　once　to　greet　him。

〃How　do　you　do；　Alan；〃　he　said　in　a　cheerful　voice；　for　as　a　cousin　by
marriage　he　called　him　by　his　Christian　name。　〃I　am　just　this　minute
back　from　Paris；　and　you　will　be　glad　to　learn　that　they　are　going　to
support　us　very　well　there；　in　fact　I　may　say　that　the　Government　has
taken　up　the　scheme；　of　course　under　the　rose。　You　know　the　French
have　possessions　all　along　that　coast　and　they　won't　be　sorry　to　find
an　opportunity　of　stretching　out　their　hand　a　little　further。　Our
difficulties　as　to　capital　are　at　an　end；　for　a　full　third　of　it　is
guaranteed　in　Paris；　and　I　expect　that　small　investors　and　speculators
for　the　rise　will　gobble　a　lot　more。　We　shall　plant　￡10；000；000　worth
of　Sahara　scrip　in　sunny　France；　my　boy；　and　foggy　England　has
underwritten　the　rest。　It　will　be　a　case　of　'letters　of　Allotment　and
regret；'　/and/　regret；　Alan；　financially　the　most　successful　issue　of
the　last　dozen　years。　What　do　you　say　to　that？〃　and　in　his　elation　the
little　man　puffed　out　his　chest　and　pursing　up　his　lips；　blew　through
them；　making　a　sound　like　that　of　wind　among　wires。

〃I　don't　know；　Mr。　Haswell。　If　we　are　all　alive　I　would　prefer　to
answer　the　question　twelve　months　hence；　or　later；　when　we　see　whether
the　company　is　going　to　be　a　practical　success　as　well；　or　not。〃

Again　Mr。　Haswell　made　the　sound　of　wind　among　wires；　only　this　time
there　was　a　shriller　note　in　it；　its　mellowness　was　gone；　it　was　as
though　the　air　had　suddenly　been　filled　with　frost。

〃A　practical　success！〃　he　repeated　after　him。　〃That　is　scarcely　our
affair；　is　it？　Promoters　should　not　bother　themselves　with　long　views；
Alan。　These　may　be　left　to　the　investing　public；　the　speculative
parson　and　the　maiden　lady　who　likes　a　flutterthose　props　of　modern
enterprise。　But　what　do　you　mean？　You　originated　this　idea　and　always
said　that　the　profits　should　be　great。〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Haswell；　on　a　moderate　capitalization　and　provided　that　we
are　sure　of　the　co…operation　of　the　Porte。〃

Mr。　Haswell　looked　at　him　very　searchingly　and　Sir　Robert；　who　had
been　listening；　said　in　his　cold　voice：

〃I　think　that　we　thrashed　out　these　points　long　ago；　and　to　tell　you
the　truth　I　am　rather　tired　of　them；　especially　as　it　is　too　late　to
change　anything。　How　did　you　get　on　with　Jackson；　Vernon？〃

〃I　did　not　get　on　at　all；　Sir　Robert。　He　will　not　touch　the　thing　on
any　terms；　and　indeed　means　to　oppose　it　tooth　and　nail。〃

〃Then　he　will　find　himself　in　a　minority　when　the　articles　come　out
to…morrow。　Of　course　it　is　a　bore；　but　we　are　strong　enough　to　snap
our　fingers　at　him。　You　see　they　don't　read　/The　Judge/　in　France；　and
no　one　has　ever　heard　of　it　in　Constantinople。　Therefore　we　have
nothing　to　fearso　long　as　we　stick　together；〃　he　added　meaningly。

Alan　felt　that　the　crisis　had　come。　He　must　speak　now　or　for　ever　hold
his　peace；　indeed　Aylward　was　already　looking　round　for　his　hat。

〃Sir　Robert　and　Mr。　Haswell；〃　he　broke　in　rather　nervously；　〃I　have
something　to　say　to　you；　something　unpleasant；〃　and　he　paused。

〃Then　please　say　it　at　once；　Vernon。　I　want　to　dress　for　dinner；　I　am
going　to　the　theatre　to…night　and　must　dine　early；〃　replied　Aylward　in
a　voice　of　the　utmost　unconcern。

〃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　ey