'If I have a partner, he will have his own room, and he won't interfere with you. There's no occasion for you to be jealous.' 'As for jealous--well--after more than sixty years' work in this office, it would seem hard to be turned out by some new-comer. But what I say is--what is the good of a partner?' 'The chief good is that the House will be carried on. It is a hundred and twenty years old. I confess I do not like the thought of its coming to an end when I disappear. That will be to me the most important advantage to be gained by taking a partner. The next advantage will be that I can turn over to him a quantity of work. And thirdly, he will bring young blood and new connections. My mind is quite made up, Checkley. I am going to take a partner.' 'Have you found one yet?' 'I have. But I am not going to tell you who he is till the right time comes.' Checkley grumbled inaudibly. 'If I had been less busy,' Mr. Dering went on, 'I might have married and had sons of my own to put into the House. But somehow, being very much occupied always, and never thinking about such things, I let the time pass by. I was never, even as a young man, greatly attracted to love or to young women. Their charms, such as they are, seem to me to depend upon nothing but a single garment.' 'Take away their frocks,' said Checkley, 'and what are they? All alike--all alike. I've been married myself--women are expensive frauds.' 'Well--things being as they are, Checkley, I am going to take a partner.' 'You'll do as you like,' said his servant. 'Mark my words, however; you've got ten years more of work in you yet--and all through these ten years you'll regret having a partner. Out of every hundred pounds his share will have to come. Think of that!' 'It is eight years, I remember,' Mr. Dering went on, 'since first I thought of taking a partner. Eight years--and for much the same reason as now. I found my memory going. There were gaps in it--days, or bits of days, which I could not recollect. I was greatly terrified. The man whom I first thought of for a partner was that young Arundel, now----' 'Who forged your name. Lucky you didn't have him.' 'Who ran away in a rage because certain circumstances seemed to connect him with the crime.' 'Seemed? Did connect him.' 'Then the symptoms disappeared. Now they have returned, as I told you. I have always regretted the loss of young Arundel. He was clever and a quick worker.' 'He was a forger,' said the clerk stoutly.--'Is there anything more I can do for you?' 'Nothing; thank you.' 'Then I'll go. On Saturday afternoon I collect my little rents. Not much--in your way of thinking. A good deal to me. I hope you'll like your partner when you do get him. I hope I shan't live to see him the master here and you knuckling under. I hope I shan't see him driving away the clients.' 'I hope you will not see any of these distressing consequences, Checkley.--Good-day.'