human
You take it very quietly,
gpt
It is mere habit, said Alington.
human
By the way, I hope, my dear fellow, that your wife is better?
gpt
Much better, thanks. We went to Goring yesterday.
human
So I saw in the papers. How much had you in Carmel?
gpt
Eight thousand pounds cash. And half of my shares I have bought only, not paid for.
human
Ah! will that be a difficulty?
gpt
More like an impossibility, unless they go up before settling-day.
human
I am sorry for that, said Alington,
gpt
Fifty thousand!
human
Fifty thousand! Indeed, I could not before the ship touches at the Cape. But if I buy, and am known to be buying, it is still conceivable that confidence may be restored, that the damage done by that absurd, unreasonable panic yesterday may be repaired. I don't say that the rush for shares was not insane, but the panic was not less so. And now, my dear fellow, I congratulate you on the way you have taken it. You would make a financier. _Æquam memento rebus in arduis!_ How Horace has the trick of stating simple things inspiritingly! A divine gift.
gpt
But what do you suppose they will find out at the inquiry?
human
Ah, you need not fear the inquiry in the least. That will not touch your salary as director, which is the sort of thing which I see you have on your mind. No. What would perhaps be serious for you is, if I became bankrupt. Then, it is true, my private accounts where your salary figures would be made public. The surest means of avoiding that is that shares should go up again before settling-day. It is with this view I am buying now; with this view I should recommend you to desperate measures! Desperate? Oh, certainly! But I must remind you that the case is fairly so. I see it is lunch time. You will lunch here, of course?