Am
I not right?"
He begged me not to make a jest of his miseries. It was like asking
a starving beggar whether a dinner at the Carlton wouldn't set him up
again.
"Would ten thousand set you up?" I persisted.
"Yes. But I might as well try to raise ten million."
"Not so," I cried, slapping him on the shoulder. "I myself will lend you
the money."
He leaped to his feet and stared at me wildly in the face. He could not
have been more electrified if he had seen me suddenly adorned with wings
and shining raiment. I experienced a thrill of eumoiriety more exquisite
than I had dreamed of imagining.
"You?"
"Why not?"
"You don't understand. I can give you no security whatsoever."
"I don't want security and I don't want interest," I exclaimed, feeling
more magnanimous than I had a right to be, seeing that the interest
would be of no use to me on the other side of the Styx. "Pay me back
when and how you like. Come round with me to my bankers and I'll settle
the matter at once."
He put out his hands; I thought he was about to fall at my feet; he
laughed in a silly way and, groping after brandy and soda, poured half
the contents of the brandy decanter on to the tray.
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