the yellow god-第3章

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off　Yarleys；　you　say。　Must　be　a　connection　of　yours　also。〃

Major　Vernon　started　a　little　at　the　name　and　his　face　seemed　to
redden。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　met　her　and　she　is　a　connection。〃

〃Will　be　a　big　heiress　one　day；　I　think；〃　went　on　Mr。　Jackson；　〃unless
old　Haswell　makes　off　with　her　money。　I　think　Aylward　knows　that；　at
any　rate　he　was　hanging　about　when　I　saw　her。〃

Vernon　started　again；　this　time　very　perceptibly。

〃Very　naturalyour　going　into　the　business；　I　mean；　under　all　the
circumstances；〃　went　on　Mr。　Jackson。　〃But　now；　if　you　will　take　my
advice；　you'll　go　out　of　it　as　soon　as　you　can。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because；　Alan　Vernon；　I　am　sure　you　don't　want　to　see　your　name
dragged　in　the　dirt；　any　more　than　I　do。〃　He　fumbled　in　a　drawer　and
produced　a　typewritten　document。　〃Take　that；〃　he　said；　〃and　study　it
at　your　leisure。　It's　a　sketch　of　the　financial　career　of　Messrs。
Aylward　and　Champers…Haswell；　also　of　the　companies　which　they　have
promoted　and　been　connected　with；　and　what　has　happened　to　them　and　to
those　who　invested　in　them。　A　man　got　it　out　for　me　yesterday　and　I'm
going　to　use　it。　As　regards　this　Sahara　business；　you　think　it　all
right；　and　so　it　may　be　from　an　engineering　point　of　view；　but　you
will　never　live　to　sail　upon　that　sea　which　the　British　public　is
going　to　be　asked　to　find　so　many　millions　to　make。　Look　here。　We　have
only　three　minutes　more；　so　I　will　come　to　the　point　at　once。　It's
Turkish　territory；　isn't　it；　and　putting　aside　everything　else；　the
security　for　the　whole　thing　is　a　Firman　from　the　Sultan？〃

〃Yes；　Sir　Robert　Aylward　and　Haswell　procured　it　in　Constantinople。　I
have　seen　the　document。〃

〃Indeed；　and　are　you　well　acquainted　with　the　Sultan's　signature？　I
know　when　they　were　there　last　autumn　that　potentate　was　very　ill〃

〃You　mean〃　said　Major　Vernon；　looking　up。

〃I　mean；　Alan；　that　I　like　not　the　security。　I　won't　say　any　more；　as
there　is　a　law　of　libel　in　this　land。　But　/The　Judge/　has　certain
sources　of　information。　It　may　be　that　no　protest　will　be　made　at
once；　for　baksheesh　can　stop　it　for　a　while；　but　sooner　or　later　the
protest　or　repudiation　will　come；　and　perhaps　some　international
bother；　also　much　scandal。　As　to　the　scheme　itself；　it　is　shamelessly
over…capitalized　for　the　benefit　of　the　promotersof　whom；　remember；
Alan；　you　will　appear　as　one。　Now　time's　up。　Perhaps　you　will　take　my
advice；　and　perhaps　you　won't；　but　there　it　is　for　what　it's　worth　as
that　of　a　man　of　the　world　and　an　old　friend　of　your　family。　As　for
your　puff　article　and　your　prospectus；　I　wouldn't　put　them　in　/The
Judge/　if　you　paid　me　a　thousand　pounds；　which　I　daresay　your　friend；
Aylward；　would　be　quite　ready　to　do。　Good…bye。　Come　and　see　me　again
sometime；　and　tell　me　what　has　happenedand；　I　say〃this　last　was
shouted　through　the　closing　door；〃give　my　kind　regards　to　Miss
Barbara；　for　wherever　she　happens　to　live；　she　is　an　honest　woman。〃



CHAPTER　II

THE　YELLOW　GOD

Alan　Vernon　walked　thoughtfully　down　the　lead…covered　stairs；　hustled
by　eager　gentlemen　hurrying　up　to　see　the　great　editor；　whose　bell　was
already　ringing　furiously；　and　was　duly　ushered　by　the　obsequious
assistant…chauffeur　back　into　the　luxurious　motor。　There　was　an
electric　lamp　in　this　motor；　and　by　the　light　of　it；　his　mind　being
perplexed；　he　began　to　read　the　typewritten　document　given　to　him　by
Mr。　Jackson；　which　he　still　held　in　his　hand。

As　it　chanced　they　were　blocked　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　near　the
Mansion　House；　so　that　he　found　time；　if　not　to　master　it；　at　least　to
gather　enough　of　its　contents　to　make　him　open　his　brown　eyes　very
wide　before　the　motor　pulled　up　at　the　granite　doorway　of　his　office。
Alan　descended　from　the　machine；　which　departed　silently；　and　stood
for　a　moment　wondering　what　he　should　do。　His　impulse　was　to　jump　into
a　bus　and　go　straight　to　his　rooms　or　his　club；　to　which　Sir　Robert
did　not　belong；　but　being　no　coward；　he　dismissed　it　from　his　mind。

His　fate　hung　in　the　balance；　of　that　he　was　well　aware。　Either　he
must　disregard　Mr。　Jackson's　warning；　confirmed　as　it　was　by　many
secret　fears　and　instincts　of　his　own；　and　say　nothing　except　that　he
had　failed　in　his　mission；　or　he　must　take　the　bull　by　the　horns　and
break　with　the　firm。　To　do　the　latter　meant　not　only　a　good　deal　of
moral　courage；　but　practical　ruin；　whereas　if　he　chose　the　former
course；　probably　within　a　fortnight　he　would　find　himself　a　rich　man。
Whatever　Jackson　and　a　few　others　might　say　in　its　depreciation；　he
was　certain　that　the　Sahara　flotation　would　go　through；　for　it　was
underwritten；　of　course　upon　terms；　by　responsible　people；　moreover
the　unissued　preferred　shares　had　already　been　dealt　in　at　a　heavy
premium。　Now　to　say　nothing　of　the　allotment　to　which　he　was　entitled
upon　his　holding　in　the　parent　Syndicate；　the　proportion　of　cash　due
to　him　as　a　partner；　would　amount　to　quite　a　hundred　thousand　pounds。
In　other　words；　he；　who　had　so　many　reasons　for　desiring　money；　would
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　whist