human
I'm glad of an excuse for stopping, he said.
gpt
Will you sit down and smoke?
human
What are you doing? I thought you came here for a rest,
gpt
The firm is a hard task-master, and it's difficult to get a few minutes undisturbed in town. That's why I brought these papers down. Writing a prospectus is a business which demands both caution and imagination. Would you like to see the draft?
human
I thought a boundless optimism was the most essential thing, Andrew replied, taking the paper handed him.
gpt
You're moderate, he continued when he had read it.
human
Ten per cent. is all you promise, though as far as my experience goes, twenty's the more usual thing.
gpt
Allinson's does not promise more than it can fulfill.
human
That's true and quite in accordance with my views. Until lately, however, prospectuses were very much out of our line.
gpt
If there's anything you wish to ask, I shall be glad to explain it.
human
These underwritten shares--I suppose you're letting the fellows have them below par? Is that because you expect any difficulty in getting the money?
gpt
No; any project we're connected with will be taken up. Still, when you launch a good thing, it's policy to let a few members of the ring in at bottom and give them a share of the pickings.
human
It sounds like a bribe. But these pickings? They must come out of the shareholders' pockets.
gpt
In the end, they do.
human
Though I'm not a business man, it seems to me that capital put into shafts and reducing plant stands a fair chance of being productive. That spent in starting the concern is largely wasted.
gpt
We are spending less than usual. May I ask what your idea of the object of floating a company is?
human
Mine would be the expectation of getting a good dividend on the stock I took in it.
gpt
Excellent, so far as it goes; but there's sometimes a little more than that.
human
I gather that this new scheme will be subscribed for because Allinson's guarantees it.
gpt
It's impossible to guarantee a mining scheme, but, in a sense, you're right. The firm's name will count.
human
Well, said Andrew,
gpt
I'd like to go to Canada and take some share in starting things--you see, I know the country. Then, as I suppose some of my money will be put into the business, you might, perhaps, make me a director. I'd be of no use in London, but I might do something in Canada.
human
It is not a bad idea, he said.
gpt
We'll see what can be done.
human
How's business generally?
gpt
Pretty fair; we have made some profitable ventures in South America. You will remember my bringing Se隳r Pi隳la down? We made some money out of him.
human
How? Andrew asked without much interest.
gpt
The fellow had a dash of the nigger or Indian in him.
human
He was Dictator Valhermosa's secret agent.
gpt
Then you supported Valhermosa's administration during the unsuccessful revolution?
human
We did. They wanted to re-arm the troops quietly in preparation; Pi隳la came over to buy new rifles and machine-guns, and as he couldn't pay ready money we arranged the matter. There was a risk, but we got some valuable concessions as security, and turned them over afterward to a German syndicate on excellent terms.
gpt
And I gave Pi隳la two days' shooting instead of pitching him into the nearest bog! To think of Allinson's backing that brute Valhermosa is somewhat of a shock.
human
What do you know about him?
gpt
A good deal. Warren, the naturalist who was with me in Canada, spent some time in his country and has friends there. He used to talk about the things he'd seen, and the memory of his stories makes me savage yet, because I believe them. I have other acquaintances who have lived in parts of the world that business men don't often reach. If you don't know how rubber's collected and minerals are worked in countries where there's a subject native population, you'd better not find out.
human
You didn't suspect that while the firm helped the Dictator, I, its sleeping partner, gave Warren a check for the rebels, and I'd like to think that every cartridge my money bought accounted for one of the brutes who flog women to death and burn Indians at the stake when the revenue falls off.
gpt
I'm sorry to hear this; though it's possible that Warren was exaggerating. Anyway, we're out of it now. The deal was a matter of business--we couldn't be expected to know what was being done in the back-country, and after all it's no concern of ours.
human
The thing will hardly bear speaking of, he said finally;
gpt
From what I've heard, those concessions may be good for another two or three years; and then, when Valhermosa's victims revolt again, if Allinson's can take any hand in the matter, it will be on the other side. Now we'll let the subject drop.