Project Gutenberg's A Millionaire of Yesterday, by E. Phillips Oppenheim

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: A Millionaire of Yesterday

Author: E. Phillips Oppenheim

Posting Date: October 23, 2008 [EBook #1878]
Release Date: August, 1999

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MILLIONAIRE OF YESTERDAY ***

Produced by An Anonymous Project Gutenberg Volunteer

A MILLIONAIRE OF YESTERDAY

By E. Phillips Oppenheim

CHAPTER I

"Filth," grunted Trent--"ugh! I tell you what it is, my venerable
friend--I have seen some dirty cabins in the west of Ireland and some
vile holes in East London. I've been in some places which I can't think
of even now without feeling sick. I'm not a particular chap, wasn't
brought up to it--no, nor squeamish either, but this is a bit thicker
than anything I've ever knocked up against. If Francis doesn't hurry
we'll have to chuck it! We shall never stand it out, Monty!"

The older man, gaunt, blear-eyed, ragged, turned over on his side. His
appearance was little short of repulsive. His voice when he spoke was,
curiously enough, the voice of a gentleman, thick and a trifle rough
though it sounded.

"My young friend," he said, "I agree with you--in effect--most heartily.
The place is filthy, the surroundings are repulsive, not to add
degrading. The society is--er--not congenial--I allude of course to our
hosts--and the attentions of these unwashed, and I am afraid I must
say unclothed, ladies of dusky complexion is to say the least of it
embarrassing."

"Dusky complexion!" Trent interrupted scornfully, "they're coal black!"

Monty nodded his head with solemn emphasis. "I will go so far as to
admit that you are right," he acknowledged. "They are as black as sin!
But, my friend Trent, I want you to consider this: If the nature of our
surroundings is offensive to you, think what it must be to me. I may,
I presume, between ourselves, allude to you as one of the people.
Refinement and luxury have never come in your way, far less have they
become indispensable to you. You were, I believe, educated at a
Board School, I was at Eton. Afterwards you were apprenticed to a
harness-maker, I--but n