we
consented to lose a fifth of all our possessions, rather than coin into
gold by force the tears and blood of the wretched fellaheen."

"Yes--I have never known a more honourable or humane action," put in the
Marquis, fervently.

"And then my brothers die--Polydor, who lived mostly at Smyrna, and
whose estate was withdrawn from the business by his widow, and Augustin,
who lived here in London after 1870, and died--it is now six years ago.
He left a son, Robert, who is my nephew, and my partner. He is now of
an age--perhaps thirty years. He was a small child when he came to
London--he has become more English than the English themselves. His
activity and industry are very great; he forms plans of such magnitude
and numbers that they would compel his grandfather to turn in his
coffin. I am in indifferent health. I live much at Homburg and Marienbad
and at Cairo. Practically speaking, I have retired from business. There
remain branches of our house--in several places--but the London house
has become the centre of all things--and Robert has become the London
house. This I make plain to your mind, do I, Mr. Thorpe?"

The other, with his chin sunk within the collar of his white waistcoat,
and scrutinizing the narrator with a steadfast though impassive glance,
made the faintest possible nod of assent.

"I had great confidence in Robert," the old man went on. His eyes were
dimming with tears, and his voice quavered uncertainly. "His plans
seemed wise, even if they risked more than formerly. The conditions of
business are wholly altered since my youth--and it was best, I thought,
to make Robert free to act under these conditions, which he understood
much better than I could pretend to do. Thus it was that when he said it
was necessary for Fromentin Brothers to belong to the Stock Exchange,
I did not object. He was active and bold and clever, and he was in the
thick of the fight. Therefore he should be the judge in all things. And
that is our ruin. In the time of the South African excitement, he won a
great deal of money. Then he lost it all and more. Then gambling began,
and his fortunes went now up, now down, but always, as his books show to
me now--sinking a little on the average. He grew more adventurous--more
careless. He put many small counters upon different numbers on the
table. You know what I mean? And in an accursed moment, because other
gamblers were doing the same, he sold two thousand of your shares,
without ha