miss or mrs[1].(小姐还是夫人)-第8节
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know about the Levant Trade？ Courage！ If we have ever known what it is
to want money we are perfectly familiar with the subject at starting。 The
Levant Trade does occasionally get into difficulties。Turlington wanted
money。
The letter which had been handed to him on board the yacht was from
his third partner； Mr。 Branca； and was thus expressed：
〃A crisis in the trade。 All right； so farexcept our business with the
small foreign firms。 Bills to meet from those quarters； （say） forty thousand
poundsand； I fear； no remittances to cover them。 Particulars stated in
another letter addressed to you at Post…office； Ilfracombe。 I am quite
broken down with anxiety； and confined to my bed。 Pizzituti is still
detained at Smyrna。 Come back at once。〃
The same evening Turlington was at his office in Austin Friars；
investigating the state of affairs； with his head clerk to help him。
Stated briefly； the business of the firm was of the widely miscellaneous
sort。 They plied a brisk trade in a vast variety of commodities。 Nothing
came amiss to them； from Manchester cotton manufactures to Smyrna figs。
They had branch houses at Alexandria and Odessa； and correspondents
here； there； and everywhere； along the shores of the Mediterranean； and in
the ports of the East。 These correspondents were the persons alluded to in
Mr。 Branca's letter as 〃small foreign firms；〃 and they had produced the
serious financial crisis in the affairs of the great house in Austin Friars；
which had hurried Turlington up to London。
Every one of these minor firms claimed and received the privilege of
drawing bills on Pizzituti； Turlington & Branca for amounts varying from
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four to six thousand poundson no better security than a verbal
understanding that the money to pay the bills should be forwarded before
they fell due。 Competition； it is needless to say； was at the bottom of this
insanely reckless system of trading。 The native firms laid it down as a rule
that they would decline to transact business with any house in the trade
which refused to grant them their privilege。 In the ease of Turlington's
house； the foreign merchants had drawn their bills on him for sums large
in the aggregate； if not large in themselves； had long since turned those
bills into cash in their own markets； for their own necessities； and had now
left the money which their paper represented to be paid by their London
correspondents as it fell due。 In some instances； they had sent nothing but
promises and excuses。 In others； they had forwarded drafts on firms which
had failed already； or which were about to fail； in the crisis。 After first
exhausting his resources in ready money； Mr。 Branca had provided for the
more pressing necessities by pledging the credit of the house； so far as he
_could_ pledge it without exciting suspicion of the truth。 This done； there
were actually left； between that time and Christmas； liabilities to be met to
the extent of forty thousand pounds； without a farthing in hand to pay that
formidable debt。
After working through the night； this was the conclusion at which
Richard Turlington arrived； when the rising sun looked in at him through
the windows of his private room。
The whole force of the blow had fallen on _him_。 The share of his
partners in the business was of the most trifling nature。 The capital was his；
the risk was his。 Personally and privately； _he_ had to find the money； or
to confront the one other alternative ruin。
How was the money to be found？
With his position in the City； he had only to go to the famous money…
lending and discounting house of Bulpit Brothersreported to 〃turn over〃
millions in their business every yearand to supply himself at once with
the necessary funds。 Forty thousand pounds was a trifling transaction to
Bulpit Brothers。
Having got the money； how； in the present state of his trade； was the
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loan to be paid back？
His thoughts reverted to his marriage with Natalie。
〃Curious！〃 he said to himself； recalling his conversation with Sir
Joseph on board the yacht。 〃Graybrooke told me he would give his
daughter half his fortune on her marriage。 Half Graybrooke's fortune
happens to be just forty thousand pounds！〃 He took a turn in the room。 No！
It was impossible to apply to Sir Joseph。 Once shake Sir Joseph's
conviction of his commercial solidity； and the marriage would be certainly
deferredif not absolutely broken off。 Sir Joseph's fortune could be made
available； in the present emergency； in but one wayhe might use it to
repay his debt。 He had only to make the date at which the loan expired
coincide with the date of his marriage； and there was his father…in…law's
money at his disposal； or at his wife's disposalwhich meant the same
thing。 〃It's well I pressed Graybrooke about the marriage when I did！〃 he
thought。 〃I can borrow the money at a short date。 In three months from
this Natalie will be my wife。〃
He drove to his club to get breakfast； with his mind cleared； for the
time being； of all its anxieties but one。
Knowing where he could procure the loan； he was by no means
equally sure of being able to find the security on which he could borrow
the money。 Living up to his income； having no expectations from any
living creature； possessing in landed property only some thirty or forty
acres in Somersetshire； with a quaint little dwelling； half farm house； half…
cottage； attached he was incapable of providing the needful security
from his own personal resources。 To appeal to wealthy friends in the City
would be to let those friends into the secret of his embarrassments； and to
put his credit in peril。 He finished his breakfast； and went back to Austin
Friarsfailing entirely； so far； to see how he was to remove the last
obstacle now left in his way。
The doors were open to the public； business had begun。 He had not
been ten minutes in his room before the shipping…clerk knocked at the
door and interrupted him； still absorbed in his own anxious thoughts。
〃What is it？〃 he asked； irritably。
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〃Duplicate Bills of Lading； sir；〃 answered the clerk； placing the
documents on his ma ster's table。
Found！ There was the security on his writing…desk； staring him in the
face！ He dismissed the clerk and examined the papers。
They contained an account of goods shipped to the London house on
board vessels sailing from Smyrna and Odessa； and they were signed by
the masters of the ships； who thereby acknowledged the receipt of the
goods； and undertook to deliver them safely to the persons owning them；
as directed。 First copies of these papers had already been placed in the
possession of the London house。 The duplicates had now followed； in case
of accident。 Richard Turlington instantly determined to make the
duplicates serve as his security； keeping the first copies privately under
lock and key； to be used in obtaining possession of the goods at the
customary time。 The fraud was a fraud in appearance only。 The security
was a pure formality。 His marriage would supply him with the funds
needed for repaying the money； and the profits of his business would
provide； in course of time； for restoring the dowry of his wife。 It was
simply a question of preserving his credit by means which were
legitimately at his disposal。 Within the lax limits of mercantile morality；
Richard Turlington had a conscience。 He put on his hat and took his false
se
