第7章 CHAPTER II(2)

"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 fear--so 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 ā18， 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 happen--why 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， and--yes-- one thing more. Telephone to Specton--the 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 him--Alan--at 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."