The Amateur Gentleman

"Pray what do you mean by 'but'?" demanded Barnabas.

"That the sum is--inadequate, sir."

"Twenty-two thousand pounds is not enough then?"

"It is--not enough, Mr. Beverley."

"Then, if you will tell me the precise amount, I will make up the

deficiency." But, here again, Jasper Gaunt smiled his slow smile and

shook his head.

"That, I grieve to say, is quite impossible, Mr. Beverley."

"Why?"

"Because I make it a rule never to divulge my clients' affairs to a

third party; and, sir,--I never break my rules."

"Then--you refuse to tell me?"

"It is--quite impossible."

So there fell a silence while the wide, fearless eyes of Youth

looked into the narrow, watchful eyes of Experience. Then Barnabas

rose, and began to pace to and fro across the luxurious carpet; he

walked with his head bent, and the hands behind his back were

tightly clenched. Suddenly he stopped, and throwing up his head faced

Jasper Gaunt, who sat lolling back in his chair again.

"I have heard," said he, "that this sum was twenty thousand pounds,

but, as you say, it may be more,--a few pounds more, or a few

hundreds more."

"Precisely, Mr. Beverley."

"I am, therefore, going to make you an offer--"

"Which I must--refuse."

"And my offer is this: instead of twenty thousand pounds I will

double the sum."

Jasper Gaunt's lolling figure grew slowly rigid, and leaning across

the desk, he stared up at Barnabas under his hairless brows. Even

Captain Slingsby stirred and lifted his heavy head.

"Forty thousand pounds!" said Jasper Gaunt, speaking almost in a

whisper.

"Yes," said Barnabas, and sitting down, he folded his arms a little

ostentatiously. Jasper Gaunt's head drooped, and he stared down at

the papers on the desk before him, nor did he move, only his long,

white fingers began to tap softly upon his chair-arms, one after the

other.

"I will pay you forty thousand pounds," said Barnabas. Then, all in

one movement as it seemed, Gaunt had risen and turned to the window,

and stood there awhile with his back to the room.

"Well?" inquired Barnabas at last.

"I--cannot, sir."

"You mean--will not!" said Barnabas, clenching his fists.

"Cannot, sir." As Gaunt turned, Barnabas rose and approached him

until barely a yard separated them, until he could look into the

eyes that glittered between their hairless lids, very like the

cruel-looking dagger on the wall.

"Very well," said Barnabas, "then I'll treble it. I'll pay you sixty

thousand pounds! What do you say? Come--speak!" But now, the eyes so

keen and sharp to read men and the ways of men wavered and fell

before the indomitable steadfastness of unconquered Youth; the long,

white hands beneath their ruffles seemed to writhe with griping,

contorted fingers, while upon his temple was something that

glittered a moment, rolled down his cheek, and so was gone.