"It is a misfortune, and one of the gravest kind. It is one, moreover, against which I have had to battle my whole life long. The truly fortunate man is he who can always mete out justice. But the still, small voice of mercy I have ever heard. It is a weakness, but it is mine own. My obvious duty to society would be to take prompt steps to rid it of such a man as you." That was a pleasant sort of observation to have addressed to one. "It strikes me that you take rather a strained view of your duty, sir." "That would strike you. It doesn't me. But I will be frank with you. Why should I not be frank--although you are not frank with me. Though perhaps I can afford to be frank better than you can." He threw his ancient overcoat, faced with ancient mock astrachan, wide open. He tilted his ancient silk hat on to the back of his head. He thrust his hands into the pockets of his ancient trousers. "The plain fact is, Mr. Tennant, that I am a victim of the present commercial depression." He looked it, every inch of him. Though, at the moment, I scarcely cared to tell him so. "The depreciation in landed property, and in various securities, has hit me hard." "To what securities do you allude?" I fancy he made an effort at recollection, and that the effort failed. "To South American securities, and others. But I need not particularise." He repeated the former lordly gesture with his hand. "The truth is that my income is not only seriously crippled, but that I am, at this present moment, actually in want of ready cash." I believed him, without his protestations. I judged from his looks. "Now, if I do something for you, will you do something for me?" "What will you do for me?" "Keep silence. I am not compelled to blurt out all I know. If I show mercy to you, what return will you make me for my kindness?" I did not quite like his way of putting it. But that I had to stomach. "What return will you require?" He looked at me; then round the room; then back again to me. He was evidently making up his mind as to what it would be advisable for him to say. "I should require you to make me an immediate, and, of course, temporary advance of £100--in gold." "A hundred pounds? I am not exactly a poor man; on the other hand, I am emphatically not a rich one. To me a hundred pounds are a hundred pounds. Say ten." "Say ten! I'll be hanged if I say ten! And you'll be hanged if you try to make me." "Twenty." "Nor twenty." "I'm afraid I could not go beyond thirty." "Then the discussion is at an end." "Suppose--I only say suppose, mind--that I was able to find fifty." "I won't take a penny less than a hundred pounds--not one centime." "Would you undertake to go abroad?" "Go abroad! I'll be shot if I would. You might go abroad. I have my business to attend to. You forget that I am a private detective in a very extensive way." "For how long will you keep silence?" "A month."