“I can imagine a ruddy hue--of shame. After five-and-twenty years of deception, however, there is not much shame left. What has happened now? You have been found out, I suppose?”
“Yes; I have been found out. There was a little mistake. I sent a man the wrong speech--the response instead of the proposer’s speech. To the proposer I sent the same speech in duplicate. I cannot imagine how the mistake was possible, but it happened. And you may imagine the feelings of the poor young man who heard his own brilliant speech which was in his pocket actually delivered, a few words only changed, by the man whom he was about to answer. When his turn came he rose; he was overcome; he blurted out three or four words, and sat down.”
“In the morning he came to beard me in my own den. He had never seen me before, but he knew my address. He came with a big stick, being a little man. Ho, ho! and he marched in flourishing his stick. You should have seen him when I stood over him with the office ruler.” He laughed again, but at the sight of Leonard’s dark face he checked his sense of humour. “Well, the misfortune was that I know the fellow at home, and he comes to our place, and knows me, and, worse than that, my own son, Algernon, was with him to see fair----”
“Oh, Algernon was with him. Then, Algernon knows?”
“Yes, he knows. I packed off the fellow, and had it out with Algernon. It was a tough business. I’m sorry for Algernon. Perhaps, he won’t put on quite so much side, though. Yes,” he repeated thoughtfully, “I had it out with that young man. He knows now what the real profession is.”
“Shall you continue your trade of deception and falsehood?”
“Well, Leonard, if you have nothing but reproaches, I may as well go. I did think that you would consider my position--my very difficult position. I have at least supported my family, and I have confided the whole to you. If you have nothing to say except to harp upon deception--as if that mattered--I may as well go.”
“Stop! let’s consider the thing. Is there no other way of livelihood?”
“None. The only question is whether I am to conduct the business henceforth under my own name or not.”
“I don’t know that I can advise or help in any way. Why did you come to me?”