the yellow god-第6节

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accept　this？I　wish　I　could　make　it　more；〃　and　he　presented　him　with
ten　shillings。

The　Sergeant　drew　himself　up　and　saluted。

〃Thank　you　kindly；　Major；〃　he　said。　〃I'd　rather　take　that　from　you
than　￡10　from　the　other　gentlemen。　But；　Major；　I　wish　we　were　out　on
the　West　Coast　again　together。　It's　a　stinking；　barbarous　hole；　but
not　so　bad　as　this　'ere　city。〃

For　once　these　two　had　served　as　comrades；　and　it　was　through　Alan
that　the　sergeant　obtained　his　present　lucrative　but　somewhat
uncongenial　post。

He　was　outside　at　last。　The　massive　granite　portal　vanished　behind　him
in　the　evening　mists；　much　as　a　nightmare　vanishes。　He；　Alan　Vernon；
who　for　a　year　or　more　had　been　in　bondage；　was　a　free　man　again。　All
his　dreams　of　wealth　had　departed；　indeed　if　anything；　save　in
experience；　he　was　poorer　than　when　first　the　shadow　of　yonder　doorway
fell　upon　him。　But　at　least　he　was　safe；　safe。　The　deed　of　partnership
which　had　been　as　a　chain　about　his　neck；　was　now　white　ashes；　his
name　was　erased　from　that　fearful　prospectus　of　Sahara　Limited；
wherein　millions　which　someone　would　provide　were　spoken　of　like
silver　in　the　days　of　Solomon；　as　things　of　no　account。　The　bitterest
critic　could　not　say　that　he　had　made　a　halfpenny　out　of　the　venture；
in　fact；　if　trouble　came；　his　voluntary　abandonment　of　the　profits　due
to　him　must　go　to　his　credit。　He　had　plunged　into　the　icy　waters　of
renunciation　and　come　up　clean　if　naked。　Never　since　he　was　a　boy
could　Alan　remember　feeling　so　utterly　light…hearted　and　free　from
anxiety。　Not　for　a　million　pounds　would　he　have　returned　to　gather
gold　in　that　mausoleum　of　reputations。　As　for　the　future；　he　did　not
in　the　least　care　what　happened。　There　was　no　one　dependent　on　him；
and　in　this　way　or　in　that　he　could　always　earn　a　crust；　a　nice；
honest　crust。

He　ran　down　the　street　and　danced　for　joy　like　a　child；　yes；　and
presented　a　crossing…sweeper　against　whom　he　butted　with　a　whole
sixpence　in　compensation。　Thus　he　reached　the　Mansion　House；　not
unsuspected　of　inebriety　by　the　police；　and　clambered　to　the　top　of　a
bus　crowded　with　weary　and　anxious…looking　City　clerks　returning　home
after　a　long　day's　labour　at　starvation　wage。　In　that　cold　company　and
a　chilling　atmosphere　some　of　his　enthusiasm　evaporated。　He　remembered
that　this　step　of　his　meant　that　sooner　or　later；　within　a　year　or　two
at　most；　Yarleys；　where　his　family　had　dwelt　for　centuries；　must　go　to
the　hammer。　Why　had　he　not　accepted　Aylward's　offer　and　sold　that　old
fetish　to　him　for　￡17；000？　There　was　no　question　of　share…dealing
there；　and　if　a　very　wealthy　man　chose　to　give　a　fancy　price　for　a
curiosity；　he　could　take　it　without　doubt　or　shame。　At　least　it　would
have　sufficed　to　save　Yarleys；　which　after　all　was　only　mortgaged　for
￡20；000。　For　the　life　of　him　he　could　not　tell。　He　had　acted　on
impulse；　a　very　curious　impulse；　and　there　was　an　end　of　it　perhaps；
it　might　be　because　his　uncle　had　told　him　as　a　boy　that　the　thing　was
unique；　or　perhaps　because　old　Jeekie；　his　negro　servant；　venerated　it
so　much　and　swore　that　it　was　〃lucky。〃　At　any　rate　he　had　declined　and
there　was　an　end。

But　another　and　a　graver　matter　remained。　He　had　desired　wealth　to
save　Yarleys；　but　he　desired　it　still　more　for　a　different　purpose。
Above　everything　on　earth　he　loved　Barbara；　his　distant　cousin　and　the
niece　of　Mr。　Champers…Haswell；　who　until　an　hour　ago　had　been　his
partner。　Now　she　was　a　great　heiress；　and　without　fortune　he　could　not
marry　her；　even　if　she　would　marry　him；　which　remained　in　doubt。　For
one　thing　her　uncle　and　guardian　Haswell；　under　her　father's　will；　had
absolute　discretion　in　this　matter　until　she　reached　the　age　of
twenty…five；　and　for　another　he　was　too　proud。　Therefore　it　would　seem
that　in　abandoning　his　business；　he　had　abandoned　his　chance　of
Barbara　also；　which　was　a　truly　dreadful　thought。

Well；　it　was　in　order　that　he　might　see　her；　that　he　had　agreed　to
visit　The　Court　on　the　morrow；　even　though　it　meant　a　meeting　with　his
late　partners；　who　were　the　last　people　with　whom　he　desired　to
foregather　again　so　soon。　Then　and　there　he　made　up　his　mind　that
before　he　bade　Barbara　farewell；　he　would　tell　her　the　whole　story；　so
that　she　might　not　misjudge　him。　After　that　he　would　go　off　somewhere
to　Africa　perhaps。　Meanwhile　he　was　quite　tired　out；　as　tired　as
though　he　had　lain　a　week　in　the　grip　of　fever。　He　must　eat　some　food
and　get　to　bed。　Sufficient　unto　the　day　was　the　evil　thereof；　yet　on
the　whole　he　blessed　the　name　of　Jackson；　editor　of　/The　Judge/　and
his　father's　old　friend。



When　Alan　had　left　the　office　Sir　Robert　turned　to　Mr。　Champers…
Haswell　and　asked　him　abruptly；　〃What　the　devil　does　this　mean？〃

Mr。　Haswell　looked　up　at　the　ceiling　and　whistled　in　his　own　peculiar
fashion；　then　answered：

〃I　cannot　say　for　certain；　but　our　young　friend's　strange　conduct
seems　to　suggest　that　he　has　smelt　a　rat；　possibly　even　that　Jackson；
the　old　beast；　has　shown　him　a　ratof　a　large　Turkish　breed。〃

Sir　Robert　nodded。

〃Vernon　is　a　fellow　who　doesn't　like　rats；　they　seem　to　haunt　his
sleep；〃　he　said；　〃but　do　you　think　that　having　seen　it；　he　will　keep
it　in　the　bag？〃

〃Oh！　certainly；　certainly；〃　answered　Mr。　Haswell　with　cheerfulness；
〃the　man　is　the　soul　of　honour；　he　will　never　give　us　away。　Look　how
he　behaved　about　those　shares。　Still；　I　think　that　perhaps　we　are　well
rid　of　him。　Too　much　honour；　like　too　much　zeal；　is　a　very　dangerous
quality　in　any　business。〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I　agree　with　you；〃　answered　Sir　Robert。　〃I　am　not
sure　that　in　the　long　run　we　should　not　do　better　for　a　little　more　of
the　article。　For　my　part；　although　it　will　not　hurt　us　publicly；　for
the　thing　will　never　be　noticed；　I　am　sorry　that　we　have　lost　Vernon；
very　sorry　indeed。　I　don't　think　him　a　fool；　and　awkward　as　they　may
be；　I　respect　his　qualities。〃

〃So　do　I；　so　do　I；〃　answered　Mr。　Haswell；　〃and　of　course　we　have　acted
against　his　advice　throughout；　which　must　have　been　annoying　to　him。
The　scheme　as　he　suggested　it　was　a　fair　business　proposition　that
might　have　paid　ten　per　cent。　on　a　small　capital；　but　what　is　the　good
of　ten　per　cent。　to　you　and　me？　We　want　millions　and　we　are　going　to
get　them。　Well；　he　is　coming　to　The　Court　to…morrow；　and　perhaps　after
all　we　shall　be　able　to　arrange　matters。　I'll　give　Barbara　a　hint；　she
has　great　influence　with　him；　and　you　might　do　the　same；　Aylward。〃

〃Miss　Champers　has　great　influence　with　everyone　who　is　fortunate
enough　to　know　her；〃　answered　Sir　Robert　courteously。　〃But　even　if　she
chooses　to　use　it；　I　doubt　if　it　will　avail　in　this　case。　Vernon　has
been　making　up　his　mind　for　a　long　while。　I　have　watched　him　and　am
sure　of　that。　To…night　he　determined　to　take　the　plunge　and　I　do　not
think　that　we　shall　see　any　more　of　him　in　this　office。　Haswell；〃　he
added　with　sudden　energy；　〃I　tell　you　that　of　late　our　luck　has　been
too　good　to　last。　The　boom；　the　real　boom；　came　in　with　Vernon；　and
with　Vernon　I　think　that　it　will　go。〃

〃At　any　rate　it　must　leave　something　pretty　substantial　behind　it　this
time；　Aylward；　my　friend。　Whatever　happens；　within　a　week　we　shall　be
rich；　really　rich　for　life。〃

〃For　life；　Haswell；　yes；　for　life。　But　what　is　life？　A　bubble　that　any
pin　may　prick。　Oh！　I　know　that　you　do　not　like　the　subject；　but　it　is
as　well　to　look　it　in　the　face　sometimes。　I'm　no　church…goer；　but　if　I
remember　right　we　were　taught　to　pray　the　good　Lord　to　deliver　us
especially　'in　all　times　of　our　wealth；'　which　is　followed　by
something　about　tribulation　and　sudden　death；　for　when　they　wrote　that
prayer　the　wheel　of　human　fortune　went　round　just　as　it　does　to…day。
There；　let's　get　out　of　this　before　I　grow　superstitious；　as　men　who
believe　in　nothing　sometimes　do；　because　after　all　they　must　believe
in　something；　I　suppose。　Got　your　hat　and　coat？　So　have　I；　come　on；〃
and　he　switched　off　the　light；　so　that　the　room　was　left　in　darkness
except　for　the　faint　glimmering　of　the　fire。

His　partner　grumbled　audibly；　for　in　turning　he　had　knocked　his　hand
against　the　desk。

〃Leave　me　my　only　economy；　Haswell；〃　he　answered　with　a　hard　little
laugh。　〃Electricity　is　strength　and　I　hate　to　see　strength　burning　to
waste。　Why　do　you　mind？〃　he　went　on　as　he　stepped　towards　the　door。
〃Is　it　the　contrast？　In　all　times　of　our　wealth；　in　all　times　of　our
tribulation；　from　sickness　and　from　sudden　death〃

〃Good　Lord　deliver　us；〃　chimed　in　Mr。　Haswell　in　a　shaking　voice
behind　him。　〃What　the　devil's　that？〃

Sir　Robert　looked　round　and　saw；　or　thought　that　he　saw；　something
very　strange。　From　the　pillar　on　which　it　stood　the　golden　fetish　with
a　woman's　face；　appeared　to　have　floated。　The　firelight　showed　it
gliding　towards　them　across；　but　a　few　inches　above　the　floor　of　the
great　room。　It　came　very　slowly；　but　it　came。　Now　it　reached　them　and
paused；　and　now　it　rose　into　the　air　until　it　attained　the　height　of
Mr。　Champers…Haswell　and　stayed　there；　staring　into　his　face　and　not　a
hand's　breadth　away；　just　as　though　it　were　a　real　woman　glaring　at
him。

He　uttered　a　sound；　half　whistle　and　half　groan；　and　fell　back；　as　it
chanced　on　to　a