THE CHARM OF THE OLD WORLD ROMANCES – Premium 10 Book Collection. Robert Barr

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СКАЧАТЬ in conversation; I didn't ask you for it. I didn't even make the first advances towards your acquaintance.'

      'But you must admit, Miss Brewster, that it is very unfair to get a man to engage in what he thinks is a private conversation, and then to publish what he has said.'

      'My dear sir, if that were the case, how would we get anything for publication that people didn't want to be known? Why, I remember once, when the Secretary of State——'

      'Yes,' interrupted Wentworth wearily; 'Fleming told me that story.'

      'Oh, did he? Well, I'm sure I'm much obliged to him. Then I need not repeat it.'

      'Do you mean to say that you intend to send to the Argus for publication what I have told you in confidence?'

      'Certainly. As I said before, that is what I am here for. Besides, there was no "in confidence" about it.'

      'And yet you pretend to be a truthful, honest, honourable woman?'

      'I don't pretend it; I am.'

      'How much truth, then, is there in your story that you are a millionaire's daughter about to visit your father in Paris, and accompany him from there to the Riviera?'

      Miss Brewster laughed brightly.

      'Oh, I don't call fibs, which a person has to tell in the way of business, untruths.'

      'Then probably you do not think your estimable colleague, Mr. J.K. Rivers, behaved dishonourably in Ottawa?'

      'Well, hardly. I think Rivers was not justified in what he did because he was unsuccessful, that is all. I'll bet a dollar if I had got hold of these papers they would have gone through to New York; but, then, J.K. Rivers is only a stupid man, and most men are stupid'—with a sly glance at Wentworth.

      'I am willing to admit that, Miss Brewster, if you mean me. There never was a more stupid man than I have been.'

      'My dear Mr. Wentworth, it will do you ever so much good if you come to a realization of that fact. The truth is, you take yourself much too seriously. Now, it won't hurt you a bit to have what I am going to send published in the Argus, and it will help me a great deal. Just you wait here for a few moments.'

      With that she flung her book upon his lap, sprang up, and vanished down the companion-way. In a very short time she reappeared with some sheets of paper in her hand.

      'Now you see how fair and honest I am going to be. I am going to read you what I have written. If there is anything in it that is not true, I will very gladly cut it out; and if there is anything more to be added, I shall be very glad to add it. Isn't that fair?'

      Wentworth was so confounded with the woman's impudence that he could make no reply.

      She began to read: '"By an unexampled stroke of enterprise the New York Argus is enabled this morning to lay before its readers a full and exclusive account of the report made by the two English specialists, Mr. George Wentworth and Mr. John Kenyon, who were sent over by the London Syndicate to examine into the accounts, and inquire into the true value of the mines of the Ottawa River."'

      She looked up from the paper, and said, with an air of friendly confidence:

      'I shouldn't send that if I thought the people at the New York end would know enough to write it themselves; but as the paper is edited by dull men, and not by a sharp woman, I have to make them pay twenty-five cents a word for puffing their own enterprise. Well, to go on: "When it is remembered that the action of the London Syndicate will depend entirely on the report of these two gentlemen—"'

      'I wouldn't put it that way,' interrupted Wentworth in his despair. 'I would use the word "largely" for "entirely."'

      'Oh, thank you,' said Miss Brewster cordially. She placed the manuscript on her knee, and, with her pencil, marked out the word 'entirely,' substituting 'largely.' The reading went on: '"When it is remembered that the action of the London Syndicate will depend largely on the report of these two gentlemen, the enterprise of the Argus in getting this exclusive information, which will be immediately cabled to London, may be imagined." That is the preliminary, you see; and, as I said, it wouldn't be necessary to cable it if women were at the head of affairs over there, which they are not. "Mr. John Kenyon, the mining expert, has visited all the mineral ranges along the Ottawa River, and his report is that the mines are very much what is claimed for them; but he thinks they are not worked properly, although, with judicious management and more careful mining, the properties can be made to pay good dividends. Mr. George Wentworth, who is one of the leading accountants of London—"'

      'I wouldn't say that, either,' groaned George. 'Just strike out the words "one of the leading accountants of London."'

      'Yes?' said Miss Brewster; 'and what shall I put in the place of them?'

      'Put in place of them "the stupidest ass in London"!'

      Miss Brewster laughed at that.

      'No; I shall put in what I first wrote: "Mr. George Wentworth, one of the leading accountants of London, has gone through the books of the different mines. He has made some startling discoveries. The accounts have been kept in such a way as to completely delude investors, and this fact will have a powerful effect on the minds of the London Syndicate. The books of the different mines show a profit of about two hundred thousand dollars, whereas the actual facts of the case are that there has been an annual loss of something like one hundred thousand dollars—"'

      'What's that? what's that?' cried Wentworth sharply.

      'Dollars, you know. You said twenty thousand pounds. We put it in dollars, don't you see?'

      'Oh,' said Wentworth, relapsing again.

      '"One hundred thousand dollars"—where was I? Oh yes. "It is claimed that an American expert went over these books before Mr. Wentworth, and that he asserted they were all right. An explanation from this gentleman will now be in order."'

      'There!' cried the young lady, 'that is the substance of the thing. Of course, I may amplify a little more before we get to Queenstown, so as to make them pay more money. People don't value a thing that doesn't cost them dearly. How do you like it? Is it correct?'

      'Perfectly correct,' answered the miserable young man.

      'Oh, I am so glad you like it! I do love to have things right.'

      'I didn't say I liked it.'

      'No, of course, you couldn't be expected to say that; but I am glad you think it is accurate. I will add a note to the effect that you think it is a good résumé of your report.'

      'For Heaven's sake, don't drag me into the matter!' cried Wentworth.

      'Well, I won't, if you don't want me to.'

      There was silence for a few moments, during which the young woman seemed to be adding commas and full-stops to the MS. on her knee. Wentworth cleared his throat two or three times, but his lips were so dry that he could hardly speak. At last he said:

      'Miss Brewster, how can I induce you not to send that from Queenstown to your paper?'

      The young woman looked up at him with a pleasant bright smile.

      'Induce СКАЧАТЬ