“Itis，SirRobert，“wentonAlanwitharush，“thatIdonotlikethelinesuponwhichthisbusinessisbeingworked，andIwishtogiveupmyinterestinitandretirefromthefirm，asIhavearighttodounderourdeedofpartnership。“
　　“Haveyou？“saidAylward。“Really，Iforget。But，mydearfellow，donotthinkthatweshouldwishtokeepyouforonemomentagainstyourwill。Only，mightIask，hasthatoldpuritan，Jackson，hypnotizedyou，orisitacaseofsuddenmadnessafterinfluenza？“
　　“Neither，“answeredAlansternly，foralthoughhemightbediffidentonmattersthathedidnotthoroughlyunderstand，hewasnotamantobrooktriflingorimpertinence。“ItiswhatIhavesaid，nomorenorless。Iamnotsatisfiedeitherastothecapitalizationorastotheguaranteethattheenterprisecanbereallycarriedout。Further“——andhepaused，——“Further，IshouldlikewhatIhaveneveryetbeenabletoobtain，moreinformationastothatFirmanunderwhichtheconcessionisgranted。“
　　ForonemomentasortoftremorpassedoverSirRobert’simpassivecountenance，whileMr。Haswellutteredhiswindywhistle，thistimeinatoneofplaintiveremonstrance。
　　“Asyouhaveformallyresignedyourmembershipofthefirm，Idonotseethatanyusefulpurposecanbeservedbydiscussingsuchmatters。
　　Thefullestexplanations，ofcourse，weshouldhavebeenwillingtogive——“
　　“MydearAlan，“brokeinMr。Champers-Haswell，whowasquiteupset，“I
　　doimploreyoutoreflectforonemoment，foryourownsake。Inasingleweekyouwouldhavebeenawealthyman；doyoureallymeantothrowawayeverythingforawhim？“
　　“PerhapsVernonremembersthatheholdsover1700oftheSyndicateshareswhichwehaveworkedupto￡18，andthinksitwisertocapturetheprofitinsight，generallyspeakingaverysoundprinciple，“
　　interruptedAylwardsarcastically。
　　“Youaremistaken，SirRobert，“repliedAlan，flushing。“ThewaythatthoseshareshavebeenartificiallyputupisoneofthethingstowhichImostobject。IshallonlyaskforminethefacevaluewhichI
　　paidforthem。“
　　Nownotwithstandingtheirexperience，bothoftheseniorpartnersdidforamomentlookratherscared。Suchfolly，orsuchhonesty，wasabsolutelyincredibletothem。Theyfeltthattheremustbemuchbehind。SirRobert，however，recoveredinstantly。
　　“Verywell，“hesaid；“itisnotforustodictatetoyou；youmustmakeyourownbedandlieonit。Toargueorremonstratewouldonlyberude。“Heputouthishandandpushedthebuttonofanelectricbell，addingashedidso，“Ofcourseweunderstandonething，Vernon，namely，thatasagentlemanandamanofhonouryouwillmakenopublicuseoftheinformationwhichyouhaveacquiredduringyourstayinthisoffice，eithertoourdetriment，personalorfinancial，ortoyourownadvantage。“
　　“Certainlyyoumayunderstandthat，“repliedVernon。“Unlessmycharacterisattackedanditbecomesnecessaryformetodefendmyself，mylipsaresealed。“
　　“Thatwillneverhappen——whyshouldit？“saidSirRobertwithapolitebow。
　　Thedooropenedandtheheadclerk，Jeffreys，appeared。
　　“Mr。Jeffreys，“saidSirRobert，“pleasefindusthedeedofpartnershipbetweenMajorVernonandourselves，andbringithere。Onemoment。PleasemakeoutalsoatransferofMajorVernon’sparcelofSaharaSyndicatesharestoMr。Champers-Haswellandmyselfatparvalue，andfillinachequefortheamount。PleaseremovealsoMajorVernon’snamewhereveritappearsintheproofprospectus，and——yes——
　　onethingmore。TelephonetoSpecton——theRightHonourabletheEarlofSpecton，Imean，andsaythatafterallIhavebeenabletoarrangethatheshallhaveaseatontheBoardandablockofsharesataverymoderatefigure，andthatifhewillwirehisassent，hisnameshallbeputintotheprospectus。Youapprove，don’tyou，Haswell？——yes——
　　thenthatisall，Ithink，Jeffreys，onlypleasebeasquickasyoucan，forIwanttogetaway。“
　　Jeffreys，theimmaculateandtheimpassive，bowed，andcastingoneswiftglanceatVernonoutofthecornerofhiseye，departed。
　　Whatiscalledanawkwardpauseensued；infactitwasaveryawkwardpause。Thediewascast，thematterended，andwhatweretheprincipalstodountiltheratificationshadbeenexchangedor，abettersimileperhaps，the/decreenisi/pronouncedabsolute。Mr。
　　Champers-HaswellremarkedthattheweatherwasverycoldforApril，andAlanagreedwithhim，whileSirRobertfoundhishatandbrusheditwithhissleeve。ThenMr。Haswell，indesperation，forinminormattershewasakindlysortofmanwhodislikedscenesandunpleasantness，mutteredsomethingastoseeinghim——Alan——athishouse，TheCourt，inHertfordshire，fromSaturdaytoMonday。
　　“Thatwasthearrangement，“answeredAlanbluntly，“butpossiblyafterwhathashappenedyouwillnotwishthatitshouldbekept。“
　　“Oh！whynot，whynot？“saidMr。Haswell。“Sundayisadayofrestwhenwemakeitarulenottotalkbusiness，andifwedid，perhapswemightallchangeourmindsaboutthesematters。SirRobertiscoming，andIamsurethatyourcousinBarbarawillbeverydisappointedifyoudonotturnup，forsheunderstandsnothingaboutthesecitythingswhichareGreektoher。“
　　AtthementionofthenameofBarbaraSirRobertAylwardlookedupfromthepaperswhichheaffectedtobetidying，andAlanthoughtthattherewasakindofchallengeinhiseyes。AmomentbeforehehadmadeuphismindthatnopoweronearthwouldinducehimtospendaSundaywithhislatepartnersatTheCourt。Now，actinguponsomeinstinctorimpulse，hereversedhisopinion。
　　“Thanks，“hesaid，“ifthatisunderstood，Ishallbehappytocome。I
　　willdriveoverfromYarleysintimefordinnerto-morrow。PerhapsyouwillsaysotoBarbara。“
　　“Shewillbeglad，Iamsure，“answeredMr。Haswell，“forshetoldmetheotherdaythatshewantstoconsultyouaboutsomeoutdoortheatricalsthatshemeanstogetupinJuly。“
　　“InJuly！“answeredAlanwithalittlelaugh。“IwonderwhereIshallbeinJuly。“
　　Thencameanotherpause，whichseemedtoaffectevenSirRobert’snerves，forabandoningthepapers，hewalkeddowntheroomtillhecametothegoldenobjectthathasbeendescribed，andforthesecondtimethatdaystoodtherecontemplatingit。
　　“Thisthingisyours，Vernon，“hesaid，“andnowthatourrelationsareatanend，Isupposethatyouwillwanttotakeitaway。Whatisitshistory？Younevertoldme。“
　　“Oh！that’salongstory，“answeredAlaninanabsentvoice。“Myuncle，whowasamissionary，broughtitfromWestAfrica。Iratherforgetthefacts，butJeekie，mynegroservant，knowsthemall，forasaladmyunclesavedhimfromsacrifice，orsomething，inaplacewheretheyworshipthesethings，andhehasbeenwithuseversince。
　　Itisafetishwithmagicalpowersandalltherestofit。IbelievetheycallittheSwimmingHeadandothernames。Ifyoulookatit，youwillseethatitseemstoswimbetweentheshoulders，doesn’tit？“
　　“Yes，“saidSirRobert，“andIadmirethebeautifulbeast。Sheiscruelandartistic，like——likefinance。Lookhere，Vernon，wehavequarrelled，andofcoursehenceforthareenemies，foritisnousemincingmatters，onlyfoolsdothat。Butinawayyouarebeinghardlytreated。Youcouldget￡10apieceto-dayforthosesharesofyoursinablockonthemarket，andIampayingyou￡1。Iunderstandyourscruples，butthereisnoreasonwhyweshouldnotsquarethings。Thisfetishofyourshasbroughtmeluck，solet’sdoadeal。Leaveithere，andinsteadofacheckfor￡1700，Iwillmakeyouoneoutfor￡17，000。“
　　“That’saveryliberaloffer，“saidVernon。“Givemeamomenttothinkitover。“
　　Thenhealsowalkedintothecorneroftheroomandcontemplatedthegoldenmaskthatseemedtofloatbetweenthefrog-likeshoulders。Theshimmeringeyesdrewhiseyes，thoughwhathesawinthemdoesnotmatter。Indeedhecouldneverremember。Onlywhenhestraightenedhimselfagaintherewasleftonhismindadeterminationthatnotforseventeenorforseventythousandpoundswouldhepartwithhisownershipinthisveryuniquefetish。
　　“No，thankyou，“hesaidpresently。“Idon’tthinkIwillselltheYellowGod，asJeekiecallsit。Perhapsyouwillkindlykeepherhereforaweekorso，untilImakeupmymindwheretostowher。“
　　AgainMr。Champers-Haswellutteredhiswindywhistle。Thatamanshouldrefuse￡17，000forabitofAfricangoldworth￡100orso，struckhimasmiraculous。ButSirRobertdidnotseemintheleastsurprised，onlyverydisappointed。
　　“Iquiteunderstandyourdisliketoselling，“hesaid。“Thankyouforleavingithereforthepresenttoseeusthroughtheflotation，“andhelaughed。
　　AtthatmomentJeffreysenteredtheroomwiththedocuments。SirRoberthandedthedeedofpartnershiptoAlan，andwhenhehadidentifiedit，tookitfromhimagainandthrewitonthefire，sayingthatofcoursetheformalletterofreleasewouldbepostedandthedissolutionnotifiedinthe/Gazette/。Thenthetransferwassignedandthechequedelivered。
　　“Well，good-byetillSaturday，“saidAlanwhenhehadreceivedthelatter，andnoddingtothemboth，heturnedandlefttheroom。
　　ThepassageranpastthelittleroominwhichMr。Jeffreys，theheadclerk，satalone。Catchingsightofhimthroughtheopendoor，Alanentered，shuttingitbehindhim。Findinghiskeyringheremovedfromitthekeysofhisdeskandoftheofficestrongroom，andhandedthemtotheclerkwho，methodicalineverything，proceededtowriteaformalreceipt。
　　“Youareleavingus，MajorVernon？“hesaidinterrogativelyashesignedthepaper。
　　“Yes，Jeffreys，“answeredAlan，thenpromptedbysomeimpulse，added，“Areyousorry？“