“‘When you want more,’ he said, ‘you must bring me another name upon the bill.’ I asked, ‘Whose name?’ He said, ‘Your brother’s.’ ‘Do you think my brother would back a bill of mine? He’d see me farther first!’ ‘That,’ he said, ‘is a pity.’ And so it was a pity. Brothers should be friendly; they should help each other; it’s only right. “‘Come,’ he said, ‘and dine with me.’ I dined. After dinner he began again about the bill. ‘I’ll give you £700 for a three months’ bill for a thousand with your brother’s name on it.’ ‘I tell you that nothing would induce my brother to back a bill of mine.’ ‘If you were to bring me such a bill I shouldn’t ask how it got there.’ Then he looked at me, and I saw what he meant. ‘That’s it, is it? I’ve sailed pretty close to the wind, but I’ve never got quite so far as that.’ He filled himself another glass of wine. ‘You say you want the money badly. The sooner you let me have the bill, the sooner your wants will be relieved.’ I let him have the bill in the morning. At the end of three months there was a storm in the air.” “I knew nothing of it--he invents it all. The bill was duly met when it was presented.” “After my brother and I had come pretty near to murder, I was still, as ever, in want of money. But this time it was Bernstein who came to me. “‘I hear you’re pressed.’ I complimented him on the correctness of his information. ‘It’s no good,’ said he, ‘peddling with hundreds. It’s a good round sum you want to set you clear.’ I admitted it; and wondered where the good round sum was coming from. ‘I tell you what I’ll do,’ he said. ‘You bring me five bills for a thousand each, with your brother’s name on them, and I’ll give you two thousand five hundred for the lot.’ I told him that it couldn’t be done. I’d promised my brother that I wouldn’t play any more tricks with his name, and I meant to keep my word. ‘Ah,’ he said, ‘that’s a pity.’” “I said nothing of the kind. It is not to be believed; those who know me will tell you it is not to be believed. It is against my nature.” “‘I think,’ he continued, ‘I know how it can be managed. I know a young fellow whom I’ll introduce to you. You may find him of use. He’s a first-rate penman.’ ‘Do you mean that he’s an expert forger?’ ‘Lawrence,’ cried Mr. Bernstein, ‘you shouldn’t use such words--you really shouldn’t.’” “You hear him admit it? I said, ‘You should not use such words.’ I have always said it--always.” “He made me known to this expert penman, getting up a three-cornered dinner for that especial purpose. The expert penman was our young friend here--Tom Moore.” “I never wanted to know you--never. I told him that I didn’t.” Mr. Bernstein contradicted the young gentleman’s disclaimer. “Now, Moore, that is not so. You were always willing to make his acquaintance; why not? He was a gentleman of family, of fortune. Why should you not have been willing to know such an one? “He didn’t turn out like that, did he? Look how he served me!”