Page:Richard Marsh--The goddess a demon.djvu/285

Rh "He lent me a little money on what he considered reasonable terms."

"And so they were—most reasonable. You know yourself they were."

"'When you want more,' he said, 'you must bring me another name upon the bill.' I asked, 'Whose name?' He said, 'Your brother's.' 'Do you think my brother would back a bill of mine? He'd see me farther first!' 'That,' he said, 'is a pity.' And so it was a pity. Brothers should be friendly; they should help each other; it's only right.

"'Come,' he said, 'and dine with me.' I dined. After dinner he began again about the bill. 'I'll give you £700 for a three months' bill for a thousand with your brother's name on it.' 'I tell you that nothing would induce my brother to back a bill of mine.' 'If you were to bring me such a bill I shouldn't ask how it got there.' Then he looked at me, and I saw what he meant. 'That's it, is it? I've sailed pretty close to the wind, but I've never got quite so far as that.' He filled himself another glass of wine. 'You say you want the money badly. The sooner you let me have the bill, the sooner your wants will be relieved.' I let him have the bill in the morning. At the end of three months there was a storm in the air."

"I knew nothing of it—he invents it all. The bill was duly met when it was presented."