human
Will you take a drink, Mr. Cassilis?
gpt
A--a--a drink? The invitation took him aback altogether, and disturbed the current of his thoughts.
human
Thank you, thank you. Nothing.
gpt
In the silver-mines I've seen a man threatened with a bowie for refusing a drink. And I've known temperate men anxious for peace take drinks, when they were offered, till their back teeth were under whisky. But I know your English custom, Mr. Cassilis. When you don't feel thirsty you say so. Now let us go on, sir.
human
Our New York friend tells me, Mr. Beck, that you would find it difficult to spend your income.
gpt
That's the hitch. That's what I am here for. In America you may chuck a handsome pile on yourself. But when you get out of yourself, unless you were to buy a park for the people in the centre of New York City, I guess you would find it difficult to get rid of your money.
human
It depends mainly on the amount of that money.
gpt
We'll come to figures, sir, and you shall judge as my friendly adviser. My bar'ls bring me in, out of my first well, 2,500 dollars, and that's £500 a day, without counting Sundays. And there's a dozen wells of mine around, not so good, that are worth between them another £800 a day.
human
Do you mean, Mr. Beck, do you actually mean that you are drawing a profit, a clear profit, of more than £1,300 a day from your rock-oil shafts?
gpt
That is it, sir--that is the lowest figure. Say £1,500 a day.
human
And how long has this been going on?
gpt
Close upon ten months.
human
Then you are worth at this moment, allowing for Sundays, at least a quarter of a million sterling.
gpt
Wall, I think it is near that figure. We can telegraph to New York, if you like, to find out. I don't quite know within a hundred thousand.
human
And a yearly income of £500,000, Mr. Beck! said Mr. Cassilis, rising solemnly.
gpt
Let me--allow me to shake hands with you again. I had no idea, not the slightest idea, in asking you to my house the other day, that I was entertaining a man of so much weight and such enormous power.