human
Wilding, he asked hurriedly, and yet stopping short and glancing around as if for some visible cause of his state of mind:
gpt
My good George Vendale, returned the wine-merchant, giving his hand with an appealing look, rather as if he wanted help to get over some obstacle, than as if he gave it in welcome or salutation:
human
Not yourself?
gpt
Not what I supposed myself to be,
human
What, in the name of wonder, _did_ you suppose yourself to be that you are not? was the rejoinder, delivered with a cheerful frankness, inviting confidence from a more reticent man.
gpt
I may ask without impertinence, now that we are partners.
human
There again! cried Wilding, leaning back in his chair, with a lost look at the other.
gpt
Partners! I had no right to come into this business. It was never meant for me. My mother never meant it should be mine. I mean, his mother meant it should be his--if I mean anything--or if I am anybody.
human
Come, come, urged his partner, after a moment's pause, and taking possession of him with that calm confidence which inspires a strong nature when it honestly desires to aid a weak one.
gpt
Whatever has gone wrong, has gone wrong through no fault of yours, I am very sure. I was not in this counting-house with you, under the old _regime_, for three years, to doubt you, Wilding. We were not younger men than we are, together, for that. Let me begin our partnership by being a serviceable partner, and setting right whatever is wrong. Has that letter anything to do with it?
human
Hah! said Wilding, with his hand to his temple.
gpt
There again! My head! I was forgetting the coincidence. The Swiss postmark.
human
At a second glance I see that the letter is unopened, so it is not very likely to have much to do with the matter, said Vendale, with comforting composure.
gpt
Is it for you, or for us?
human
For us,
gpt
Suppose I open it and read it aloud, to get it out of our way?
human
Thank you, thank you.
gpt
The letter is only from our champagne-making friends, the house at Neuchatel. 'Dear Sir. We are in receipt of yours of the 28th ult., informing us that you have taken your Mr. Vendale into partnership, whereon we beg you to receive the assurance of our felicitations. Permit us to embrace the occasion of specially commanding to you M. Jules Obenreizer.' Impossible!
human
Eh?
gpt
Impossible sort of name, returned his partner, slightly--
human
Obenreizer. '--Of specially commanding to you M. Jules Obenreizer, of Soho Square, London (north side), henceforth fully accredited as our agent, and who has already had the honour of making the acquaintance of your Mr. Vendale, in his (said M. Obenreizer's) native country, Switzerland.' To be sure! pooh pooh, what have I been thinking of! I remember now; 'when travelling with his niece.'
gpt
With his--?
human
When travelling with his Niece. Obenreizer's Niece, said Vendale, in a somewhat superfluously lucid manner.
gpt
Niece of Obenreizer. (I met them in my first Swiss tour, travelled a little with them, and lost them for two years; met them again, my Swiss tour before last, and have lost them ever since.) Obenreizer. Niece of Obenreizer. To be sure! Possible sort of name, after all! 'M. Obenreizer is in possession of our absolute confidence, and we do not doubt you will esteem his merits.' Duly signed by the House, 'Defresnier et Cie.' Very well. I undertake to see M. Obenreizer presently, and clear him out of the way. That clears the Swiss postmark out of the way. So now, my dear Wilding, tell me what I can clear out of _your_ way, and I'll find a way to clear it.