登陆注册
15454000000036

第36章 THE HIDDEN HAND(1)

Wingrave glanced up as they entered. He motioned Nesbitt to a chair by his side, but the young man remained standing.

"My secretary tells me," Wingrave said curtly, "that you cannot pay me what you owe.""It's more than I possess in the world, sir," Nesbitt answered.

"It is not a large amount," Wingrave said. "I do not see how you can carry on business unless you can command such a sum as this."Nesbitt moistened his dry lips with his tongue.

"I have only been doing a very small business, sir," he answered, "but quite enough to make a living. I don't speculate as a rule. Hardwells seemed perfectly safe, or I wouldn't have touched them. I sold at four. They are not worth one. I could have bought thousands last week for two dollars.""That is beside the question," Wingrave answered. "If you do not pay this, you have cheated me out of my profits for I should have placed the commission with brokers who could. Why did you wish to see me again?""I thought that you might give me time," Nesbitt answered, raising his head and looking Wingrave straight in the face. "It seems rather a low down thing to come begging. I'd rather cut my right hand off than do it for myself, but I've--someone else to think about, and if I'm hammered, I'm done for. Give me a chance, Mr. Wingrave! I'll pay you in time.""What do you ask for?" Wingrave said.

"I thought that you might give me time," Nesbitt said, "and I'll pay you the rest off with the whole of my profits every year.""A most absurd proposal," Wingrave said coolly. "I will instruct my brokers to take twenty thousand dollars down, and wait one week for the balance. That is the best offer I can make you. Good day!"The young man stood as though he were stunned.

"I--I can't find it," he faltered. "I can't indeed.""Your resources are not my affair," Wingrave said. "I shall instruct my broker to do as I have said. If the money is not forthcoming, you know the alternative.""You mean to ruin me, then?" Nesbitt said slowly.

"I mean to exact the payment of what is due to me," Wingrave said curtly. "If you cannot pay, it seems to me that I am the person to be pitied--not you.

Show Mr. Nesbitt out, Aynesworth."

Nesbitt turned towards the door. He was very pale, but he walked steadily. He did not speak another word to Wingrave.

"I'm beastly sorry," Aynesworth said to him on the stairs. "I wish I could help you!""Thank you," Nesbitt answered. "No one can help me. I'm through."Aynesworth returned to the sitting room. Wingrave had lit a cigarette and watched him as he arranged some papers.

"Quite a comedy, isn't it?" he remarked grimly.

"It doesn't present itself in that light to me," Aynesworth answered.

Wingrave blew the smoke away from in front of his face. "Ah!" he said, "Iforgot that you were a sentimentalist. I look upon these things from my own point of view. From yours, I suppose I must seem a very disagreeable person. Iadmit frankly that the sufferings of other people do not affect me in the slightest.""I am sorry for you," Aynesworth said shortly. "If there is going to be much of this sort of thing, though, I must ask you to relieve me of my post. Ican't stand it."

"Whenever you like, my dear fellow," Wingrave answered. "I think that you would be very foolish to leave me, though. I must be a most interesting study.""You are--what the devil made you!" Aynesworth muttered.

Wingrave laid down his cigarette.

"I am what my fellows have made me," he said slowly. "I tasted hell for a good many years. It has left me, I suppose, with a depraved taste. Ring up my brokers, Aynesworth! I want to speak to Malcolmson. He had better come round here."The day dragged on. Aynesworth hated it all, and was weary long before it was half over. Everyone who came was angry, and a good many came whom Wingrave refused to see. Just before five o'clock, young Nesbitt entered the room unannounced. Aynesworth started towards him with a little exclamation. The young man's evident excitement terrified him, and he feared a tragedy.

Malcolmson, too, half rose to his feet. Wingrave alone remained unmoved.

Nesbitt walked straight up to the table at which Malcolmson and Wingrave were sitting. He halted in front of the latter.

"Mr. Wingrave," he said, "you will give me my receipt for those shares for fifty-seven thousand six hundred dollars."Wingrave turned to a paper by his side, and ran his forefinger down the list of names.

"Mr. Nesbitt," he said. "Yes! sixty thousand dollars."The young man laid a slip of paper upon the table.

"That is a certified check for the amount," he said. "Mr. Malcolmson, please give me my receipt""Ah!" Mr. Wingrave remarked. "I thought that you would find the money."Nesbitt bit his lip, but he said nothing till he had the receipt and had fastened it up in his pocket. Then he turned suddenly round upon Wingrave.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 印下最美的记忆(珍藏一生的经典散文)

    印下最美的记忆(珍藏一生的经典散文)

    “读一部好书,就是和许多高尚的人谈话”一样,读名家名作就是和大师的心灵在晤谈。通过阅读本书,可以让你在轻松愉快的氛围中,开阔文学视野,提高审美意识,触动写作灵感,陶冶思想情操,提升人生品位,徜徉经典,收获无限。一个人在其一生中,阅读一些立意深远、具有丰富哲学思考的散文,不仅可以开阔视野,重新认识历史、社会、人生和自然,获得思想上的盎然新意,而且还可以学习中外散文名家高超而成熟的创作技巧。
  • 弑天亡徒风流记

    弑天亡徒风流记

    人间世界,由你主宰,福兮祸兮?邪龙再侵,胜兮败兮?林枫为了提升实力下山历练去了,在山下他的种种艳遇,种种惊险,他的命运又会如何呢?在都市中,他拳打豪门高富帅,脚踢官门富二代。他追校花,泡老师,都御姐。纵横情场,称霸战场!“林枫潇洒一转身,校花萝莉都倾心,林枫向天一声吼,天地为之抖一抖!”“元芳你怎么看?”“我追看!”
  • 邪王追妻:异世折翼天使

    邪王追妻:异世折翼天使

    她,是新晋神王,表面上要历练,实际上却是上天一次又一次对她命运的考验。“等我……”他这样说。殊不知,这一句话却成了虐心的阻碍。她徘徊,她心痛,放不下他,又拒绝不了“他”。一场追妻计划悄然开始……
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 落花浮沉

    落花浮沉

    命运仿若那轻风。落花浮沉,终究是一场命运的游戏。只是命运那头的线,就真的是你以为的被你牵着吗?
  • 重生农女修仙

    重生农女修仙

    重生之后拥有了绝佳天赋,前世身为渣渣的安息表示,让天赋来得更强一点吧!安息一直以来想要的都只是平平安安简简单单只是树欲静而风不止安息表示,既然不让她平静那就让她把这池水搅得更乱一点吧他年少曾做过一个梦,梦里有一个人在桃树下笑得温柔,让他第一次懂了岁月静好他曾走过三国每寸土地,只为寻找梦中那一抹笑颜,然后和她一起读懂白头偕老那一年树下笑魇如花,是他心中那一点朱砂。
  • 冷情嗜爱:绝情杀手妃

    冷情嗜爱:绝情杀手妃

    亲人惨死,她被迫弑父,惨遭情人背叛,懦弱只会遭遇更悲惨的待遇,她放手一搏,从砧板鱼肉一跃而成掌握生杀大权的主人,他遗弃了她,从此陌路,他们爱上了她,她心若明镜,失去爱的能力,她还能够选择吗?
  • 创始器魂

    创始器魂

    傲立山尖,看淡世间繁华,如今已然成王,又如何?孤家寡人,羁绊明月照空,当时身旁之人,在何方?独见高山,遥望飞流直下,怀想当年恩怨,美人伤!王的陨落,奇妙的重生到了帝国少帅之子。暧昧不会少,打斗不会少,恩怨情仇不会少!一切的一切尽在《创始器魂》。。。。。器魂品阶:三类九品,钒铁(下中上),紫极(下中上),仙绝(下中上)魂力品级:凡物(1~10),奇魂(1~10),王器(1~10),天灵(上中下),神虚(上中下)
  • 恶魔哥哥好可怕

    恶魔哥哥好可怕

    她不明白,为什么优雅的哥哥,要带着不清醒的醉意夺去她的清白。她更不明白,在她发现已有他的孩子时,他却将他的未婚妻领到了家里,彼时,她才发现,他眼里那浓到化不开的恨!他用这世上最残忍的方式对待她,直至她心如死灰,逃离这个梦魇般的国度。强势归来,而他也发现当年的真相比他了解的更残忍,一切,又将如何逆转?(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • EXO之医心

    EXO之医心

    张艺兴用三年孤寂换他三年欢喜,他却看不到自己的心。桃花盛开,吴亦凡问:“艺兴会医心吗?”他垂着头,“陛下,臣,不会。”三年后,他起死回生,却已嫁给他人,“艺兴,让朕替你医心。”他有力地抱住他的身子,霸道地贪婪地吮吸着他的唇,这一生,朕再也不会负你。此文有点虐,各位行星饭多多捧场啊!