登陆注册
5243300000101

第101章 CHAPTER XXI(3)

"By the way," it occurred to Thorpe to mention, "here's something I didn't understand. I told Rostocker here, just as a cheeky kind of joke, that after he and Aronson had got their eight thousand five hundred, if they thought they'd like still more shares, I'd let 'em have 'em at a bargain--and he seemed to take it seriously.

He did for a fact. Said perhaps he could make a deal with me.""Hm-m!" said Semple, reflectively. "I'll see if he says anything to me. Very likely he's spotted some way of taking the thing over, and reorganizing it, and giving it another run over the course. I'll think it out.

And now I must be off. Aren't you lunching?""No--I'll have the boy bring in some sandwiches,"Thorpe decided. "I want my next meal west of Temple Bar when I get round to it. I've soured on the City for keeps.""I wouldn't say that it had been so bad to you, either,"Semple smilingly suggested, as he turned to the door.

Thorpe grinned in satisfied comment. "Hurry back as soon as you've finally settled with Rostocker and the other fellow,"he called after him, and began pacing the floor again.

It was nearly four o'clock when these two men, again together in the Board Room, and having finished the inspection of some papers on the desk, sat upright and looked at each other in tacit recognition that final words were to be spoken.

"Well, Semple," Thorpe began, after that significant little pause, "I want to say that I'm damned glad you've done so well for yourself in this affair.

You've been as straight as a die to me,--I owe it as much to you as I do to myself,--and if you don't think you've got enough even now, I want you to say so."He had spoken in tones of sincere liking, and the other answered him in kind. "I have more than I ever dreamed of making in a lifetime when I came to London,"he declared. "If my father were alive, and heard me tell him that in one year, out of a single transaction, I had cleared over sixty-five thousand pounds, he'd be fit to doubt the existence of a Supreme Being.

I'm obliged to you for your good words, Thorpe. It's not only been profitable to work with you, but it has been a great education and a great pleasure as well."Thorpe nodded his appreciation. "I'm going to ask a favour of you," he said. "I want to leave the general run of my investments and interests here in your hands, to keep track of I don't want to speculate at all, in the ordinary meaning of the word. Even after I bury a pot of money in non-productive real estate, I shall have an income of 50,000 pounds at the very least, and perhaps twice as much. There's no fun in gambling when you've got such a bank as that behind you. But if there are good, wise changes to be made in investments, or if things turn up in the way of chances that I ought to know about, I want to feel that you're on the spot watching things and doing things in my interest.

And as it won't be regular broker's work, I shall want to pay you a stated sum--whatever you think is right.""That will arrange itself easily enough," said Semple.

"I shall have the greatest pleasure in caring for whatever you put in my hands. And I think I can promise that it will be none the worse for the keeping.""I don't need any assurance on that score,"

Thorpe declared, cordially. "You're the one sterling, honest man I've known in the City."It was the Broker's turn to make a little acknowledging bow.

His eyes gleamed frank satisfaction at being so well understood.

"I think I see the way that more money can be made out of the Company," he said, abruptly changing the subject.

"I've had but a few words with Rostocker about it--but it's clear to me that he has a plan. He will be coming to you with a proposition.""Well, he won't find me, then," interposed Thorpe, with a comfortable smile. "I leave all that to you.""I suspect that his plan," continued Semple, "is to make a sub-rosa offer of a few shillings for the majority of the shares, and reconstitute the Board, and then form another Company to buy the property and good-will of the old one at a handsome price. Now if that would be a good thing for him to do, it would be a good thing for me to do.

I shall go over it all carefully, in detail, this evening.

And I suppose, if I see my way clear before me, than Imay rely upon your good feeling in the matter. I would do all the work and assume all the risk, and, let us say, divide any profits equally--you in turn giving me a free hand with all your shares, and your influence with the Directors.""I'll do better still," Thorpe told him, upon brief reflection.

"Reconstitute the Board and make Lord Plowden Chairman,--Idon't imagine the Marquis would have the nerve to go on with it,--and I'll make a free gift of my shares to you two--half and half. You'll find him all right to work with,--if you can only get him up in the morning,--and I've kind o' promised him something of the sort.

Does that suit you?" Semple's countenance was thoughtful rather than enthusiastic. "I'm more skeptical about Lords than you are," he observed, "but if he's amenable, and understands that his part is to do what I tell him to do, I've no doubt we shall hit it off together.""Oh, absolutely!" said Thorpe, with confidence.

"I'll see to it that he behaves like a lamb. You're to have an absolutely free hand. You're to do what you like,--wind the Company up, or sell it out, or rig it up under a new name and catch a new set of gudgeons with it,--whatever you damned please. When I trust a man, I trust him."The two friends, their faces brightened and their voices mellowed by this serene consciousness of their mutual trust in each other's loyalty and integrity, dwelt no further upon these halcyon beginnings of a fresh plan for plundering the public. They spoke instead on personal topics--of the possibility of Semple's coming to Scotland during the autumn, and of the chance of Thorpe's wintering abroad.

同类推荐
  • 三水小牍

    三水小牍

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • ON THE SURGERY

    ON THE SURGERY

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 慈悲药师宝忏

    慈悲药师宝忏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 诫子拾遗

    诫子拾遗

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大方广菩萨藏文殊师利根本仪轨经

    大方广菩萨藏文殊师利根本仪轨经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 荣耀王者

    荣耀王者

    为了游戏里的皮肤,女友竟然背着我……百星荣耀王者强势回归,手把手教你上王者!
  • 重生之嫡女权谋

    重生之嫡女权谋

    将门皇后一朝被废,平民少女入主中宫,簪缨世族一夜惨死,迷雾重重,隔世归来,她的复仇之刃,会指向谁的颈项?王侯将相,江山帝位,究竟是谁负了谁,又是谁覆了谁的天下?
  • 无尽神功

    无尽神功

    一个资质低、悟性差的“真·废柴”武修之路。功法与武者之间存在“契合度”,契合度越高修炼越快,传说契合度达到七分之后,每增加一分,修炼效率加倍!一次意外,杨硕获得查看自己与功法之间的契合度的能力……天才们修神功秘典,消耗无数天材地宝,穷毕生之力,勉强摸到武圣境界的门槛。杨硕修低阶功法,向着武道巅峰大步迈进……————————“我的资质,只配修炼低阶功法?”“你们视为垃圾的低阶功法,在我看来,未必不是一部部契合度十分、十二分,乃至更高的绝世神功!!!”《无尽神功》①群:89699930【满】;②群:179340934;③群:82428033;VIP铁杆群:87267585【需粉丝值截图验证】,欢迎大家踊跃加入讨论!
  • 百媚江山

    百媚江山

    我穿越那一年,李治还是个小屁孩,武则天还不曾入宫,只是这混乱时空,秦汉唐宋蒙五国并存争斗不休,佛魔道儒四门交织爱恨情仇,天地人武道三境成就无上传奇。
  • 穿越万界之僵尸召唤系统

    穿越万界之僵尸召唤系统

    穿越,僵尸,系统,装逼,打脸。。。大概三四天一更新,也有可能一周都有可能一月,反正看情况!
  • 雍乌的杀局

    雍乌的杀局

    “早知如此,何必当初呢?”雍乌对着面前的尸体,喃喃地说道。尸体是一个四十来岁、身材臃肿的男人。此时他横躺在大厅的茶几旁边,衣衫不整,腹部的赘肉展露无遗,一副大腹便便的样子。这个男人名叫郭帅,是L市的一名三级高级法官。杀死郭帅的人,正是雍乌。这里是郭帅的家。此时雍乌戴着手套,还穿着鞋套,确保不在郭帅家留下自己的指纹和脚印。雍乌看了看手表,凌晨三点十七分。他微微吸了口气,走出了郭帅的家。
  • 不失温柔 不拒刚强

    不失温柔 不拒刚强

    现如今,女人要像男人一样奋斗,做同样的工作,承受同样的压力,分担同样的责任,像代父从军的花木兰,女人完全站到了生存的战场上。女人加入战斗,为的也是一个“赢”字,赢得上司的信任,赢得更高的职位,赢取更多的利益……
  • 贫瘠时代

    贫瘠时代

    我的人生是从认识小耗子开始的。后来她穿着一个灰蓝色的褂子,衣角上还有一片灰迹,能想象出来,她的日子并不好过。接着我看见她眼里涌出了泪水,奇怪的是这泪水并没有感动我,反而使我产生了反感。我几乎是凭着本能,拒绝了眼前这个女人。不相信过去那撕心裂肺的一切会发生在她身上。看着她走远我心里才涌上遗憾,我再一次回过身看着她的背影,我再也看不到以前在操场上跑步的那个女孩子,她身后飞扬的马尾巴永远从我心里消失了。从这一个时刻起,我失去了过去,最珍贵的记忆就这么破灭了。
  • 千娇百媚女厨神

    千娇百媚女厨神

    当顶级女厨师穿越到古代;当顶级女厨师沦为御膳房小帮工;当顶级女厨师遇上嘴刁皇帝;当她对他的第一印象是刻板的八个字‘轻则是罚,重则是杀’时;当她对他的第二印象是不男不女俊俏小太监时;那么,第三印象第四印象亦或是真正的深刻进脑海的形象,又将是何?小小女子卷着袖、提着裙,袒胳膊、露小腿,时不时的‘咯咯’朗笑,他以为她是与鱼为伴、无聊戏水,岂料,女子扎进水的手,猛的一举,双手各抓起一条被放生的黄尾鲴,喜滋滋道:“哈哈,终于抓到啦!午餐有着落咯!”
  • 评琴书屋医略

    评琴书屋医略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。