lay. He was a gaunt old
man with white hair and a pallid face, which looked almost ghastly in
contrast to his black velvet skull cap. So far as Mr. Quest could see,
he appeared to be almost totally paralysed, with the exception of his
head, neck, and left arm, which he could still move a little. His
black eyes, however, were full of life and intelligence, and roamed
about the room without ceasing.

"How do you do, Mr. Quest?" he said; "sorry that I can't shake hands
with you but you see I have been stricken down, though my brain is
clear enough, clearer than ever it was, I think. And I ain't going to
die yet--don't think that I am, because I ain't. I may live two years
more--the doctor says I am sure to live one at least. A lot of money
can be made in a year if you keep your eyes open. Once I made a
hundred and twenty thousand for Cossey's in one year; and I may do it
again before I die. I may make a lot of money yet, ah, a lot of
money!" and his voice went off into a thin scream that was not
pleasant to listen to.

"I am sure I hope you will, sir," said Mr. Quest politely.

"Thank you; take that for good luck, you know. Well, well, Mr. Quest,
things haven't done so bad down in your part of the world; not at all
bad considering the times. I thought we should have had to sell that
old de la Molle up, but I hear that he is going to pay us off. Can't
imagine who has been fool enough to lend him the money. A client of
yours, eh? Well, he'll lose it I expect, and serve him right for his
pains. But I am not sorry, for it is unpleasant for a house like ours
to have to sell an old client up. Not that his account is worth much,
nothing at all--more trouble than profit--or we should not have done
it. He's no better than a bankrupt and the insolvency court is the
best place for him. The world is to the rich and the fulness thereof.
There's an insolvency court especially provided for de la Molle and
his like--empty old windbags with long sounding names; let him go
there and make room for the men who have made money--hee! hee! hee!"
And once more his voice went off into a sort of scream.

Here Mr. Quest, who had enjoyed about enough of this kind of thing,
changed the conversation by beginning to comment on various business
transactions which he had been conducting on behalf of the house. The
old man listened with the greatest interest, his keen black eyes
attentively fixed upon the speaker's face, till at last Mr. Quest
happen