"The tall thin gentleman appeared to be slightly taken aback by the
Lion's words.

"'You have a front of bronze,' continued the Lion, 'and as hard; you
have a heart of stone and as useless.'

"'It seems to me, my old friend,' replied the tall thin gentleman,
'that you have some grievance against me by the hard words you are
giving me. I came to you for comfort, but you don't seem to have
anything of the sort to bestow. However, I suppose all of us have our
ill humours.'

"'True,' assented the Lion, 'save that some of us never change that ill
humour, but continue with it all through life. You yourself are one of
those people.'

"'Humph! I certainly have displeased you,' vouchsafed the tall thin
gentleman; 'how I really cannot imagine.'

"'I will tell you,' replied the Lion. 'Listen, therefore, carefully.
Let us go back to the very beginning of our acquaintance. I am correct
in stating that you were a homeless, ragged little urchin prowling the
streets of London.' The tall thin man nodded. 'I gave you the only
shelter you knew; others have used it since, all of them models of
gratitude compared with yourself. My friendship did not stop there.
You wanted work, a home, a name and riches. Who directed you to the
City? who told you how to start, and where you would find all those
things so long as you worked hard and were honest?'

"'I did all those things,' interrupted the tall thin man; 'I did work
hard, I got a home, name, riches, and I have been honest.'

"'Until to-day,' purred the Lion, 'until to-day, Alderman Gold.'

"'To-day,' echoed the Alderman, but he started slightly.

"'Those shares you bought in the City to-day, a very great number, do
you call that transaction honest?'

"The Alderman's eyes sought the ground.

"'Three people will be ruined in that transaction if you keep to it.'

"'Think of the money.'

"'Think of your name.'

"'I must have money.'

"The Lion laughed. 'You have heaps more than you require. Can you
name one good thing you have done with your money or your influence
since I plainly pointed the way out to you how to acquire them?'

"There was no answer.

"'Will you still decide to acquire those shares dishonestly?'

"'Anybody in the City or on 'Change would do the same thing, it is done
every day.'

"'Because burglaries may be committed every night, is it any reason why
you should commit one?'

"'The world is the world,' replied the Alderman. 'I have to li