“Look here, Fratten,” he said. “What is this? What is the confession? I can’t hear you in this racket. Come down here.” He took his companion’s arm and pulled him into an alley-way that led through towards Lombard Street. It was comparatively quiet after the roar of the traffic in Cornhill. “What on earth is this story?” repeated Hessel, with a note of agitation in his voice. “I’ll tell you if you’ll give me half a chance. He’s Chairman of a Finance Company—the Victory Finance Company, I think he called it. . . . He has asked me to join his Board. He thinks my name would be a help—I suppose it would. Apparently they’re thinking of extending their scope; they . . .” “But you didn’t consent?” ejaculated Hessel sharply. “I warned you it was a confession, Leo. I’d had, as I told you at the club just now, more port than was strictly wise. I wasn’t quite so—so guarded as I usually am—we were very great friends at school. I was a fool, I suppose, but I promised him I’d look into the thing—he’s sending me the details tonight.” Hessel’s usually calm face was flushed. He was evidently deeply moved by Sir Garth’s information. “Good Heavens!” he exclaimed. “You can’t do that. Your doctor . . . You told us—the Board—only two or three meetings ago that your doctor had absolutely ordered you to do less work! Your heart . . . you said your heart was unsound! You’ve gone off the Board of the British Tradings—I thought you were going off your Hospital Board too. Besides, this Victory Trust; what is it? You can’t—with your reputation—you can’t go on to the Board of a tin-pot company like that! It’s probably not sound. It’s . . .” “Ah, that’s another point,” interrupted Fratten. “If it’s not sound, of course I can’t go into it. Apart from my own reputation it wouldn’t be fair to the public; they might take my name—for what it’s worth—as a guarantee. That I shall go into very carefully before I consent. As to health, what you say is quite true. My ‘tragic aneurism’ or whatever it is old Spavage calls it, is rather serious. I don’t deny that I’m worried about it. It isn’t heart really, you know—I only call it that because it sounds prettier. But after all, this Victory Finance Company ought not to mean much work. I gather that it’s my name and perhaps some general advice on the financial side of the business that Lorne wants.” Hessel had by this time calmed down and he now spoke quietly, though none the less definitely.