"Oh, yes, he is very wealthy, but you told me _distinctly_ he had only
got a thousand out of you."

Jones swore mentally. To take up the life and past of a rogue is bad, to
take up the life and past of a weak-kneed and shifty man is almost
worse.

"I told you wrong," said he.

Collins suppressed a movement of irritation and disgust. He was used to
dealing with Humanity.

"What can a doctor do for a patient who holds back essential facts?"
asked he. "Nothing. How can I believe what you say?"

"I don't know," replied the other. "But I just ask you to. I ask you to
believe I'm changed. I've had a shock that has altered my whole nature.
I'm not the same man who talked to you the day before yesterday."

Collins looked at him curiously.

"You have altered," said he, "your voice is different, somehow, too. I
am not going to ask you _what_ has brought about this change in your
views. I only trust it may be so--and permanent."

"Bedrock," said Jones. "I'm going to begin right now. I'm going to let
that caravan--"

"Caravan!"

"The Carlton House place, your idea is good, will you help me through
with it? I don't know how to start letting places."

"I will certainly assist you. In fact I believe I can get you a tenant
at once. The Bracebridges want just such a house, furnished. I will get
my clerk to write to them--if you really mean it."

"I mean it."

"Well, that's something. I pressed the point about your really meaning
it, because you were so violently opposed to such a course when I spoke
of it before. In fact you were almost personal, as though I had proposed
something disgraceful--though it was true you came to agree with me at
last."

"I guess the only disgrace is owing money and not being able to pay,"
said the present Lord Rochester. "I've come to see that now."

"Thank God!" said Collins.

"I'll take rooms at a quiet hotel," went on the other, "with this eight
thousand and the rent from that Gazabo, I ought to tide over the rocks."

"I don't see why not, I don't really see why not," replied Collins
cheerfully, "if you are steadfast in your purpose. Fortunately your
wife's property is untouched, and how about her?"

"Yes," said Jones, with a cold shiver.

"The love of a good wife," went on the other, "is a thing not to be
bought, and I may say I have very good reason to believe that, despite
all that has occurred, you still have your wife's affection. Leaving
everything else aside I think you