SirRobertAylward，Bart。，M。P。，satinhisofficeintheCityofLondon。Itwasaverymagnificentoffice，quiteoneofthefinestthatcouldbefoundwithinhalfamileoftheMansionHouse。ItsexteriorwasbuiltofAberdeengranite，amaterialcalculatedtoimpresstheprospectiveinvestorwithacomfortablesenseofsecurity。Otherstucco，orevenbrick-built，officesmightcrumbleandfallinanactualorafinancialsense，butthisrock-likeedificeofgranite，surmountedbyalife-sizedstatueofJusticewithherscales，admiredfromeithercornerbypleasingeffigiesofCommerceandofIndustry，wouldsurelyendureanyshock。Earthquakecouldscarcelyshakeitsstrongfoundations；panicanddisasterwouldassoonaffecttheBankofEngland。Thatatleastwastheimpressionwhichithadbeendesignedtoconvey，andnotwithoutsuccess。
“Thereissomuchinexternals，“Mr。Champers-Haswell，SirRobert’spartner，wouldsayinhischeerfulvoice。“Weareallofusinfluencedbythem，howeverunconsciously。Impressthepublic，mydearAylward。
Letsolemnitywithoutsuggestopulencewithin，andthebread，orratherthegranite，whichyouthrowuponthewaterswillcomebacktoyouaftermanydays。“
Mr。Aylward，forthisconversationoccurredbeforehismeritsorthedepthofhispursehadbeenrewardedbyabaronetcy，lookedathispartnerintheimpassivefashionforwhichhewasfamous，andanswered:
“Youmixyourmetaphors，Haswell，butifyoumeanthatthepublicarefoolswhomustbecaughtbyadvertisement，Iagreewithyou。OnlythisparticularadvertisementisexpensiveandIdonotwanttowaitmanydaysformyreward。However，￡20，000onewayortheotherisasmallmatter，sotellthatarchitecttodothethingingranite。“
SirRobertAylwardsatinhisownquietroomatthebackofthisenduringbuilding，averysplendidroomthatanySecretaryofStatemighthaveenvied，butarrangedinexcellenttaste。Itswallswerepanelledwithfiguredteak，arichcarpetmadethefootfallnoiseless，anantiqueVenusstooduponamarblepedestalinthecorner，andoverthemantelpiecehungafineportraitbyGainsborough，thatofacertainMissAylward，afamousbeautyinherday，withwhom，beitadded，itspresentownercouldboastnoconnectionwhatsoever。
SirRobertwasseatedathisebonydeskplayingwithapencil，andthelightfromacheerfulfirefelluponhisface。
Initsownwayitwasaremarkableface，asheappearedtheninhisfourthandfortiethyear；verypalebutwithanaturalpallor，verywellcutandonthewholeimpressive。Hiseyesweredark，matchinghisblackhairandpointedbeard，andhisnosewasstraightandratherprominent。Perhapsthemouthwashisweakestfeature，fortherewasacertainshiftinessaboutit，alsothelipswerethickandslightlysensuous。SirRobertknewthis，andthereforehegrewamoustachetoveilthemsomewhat。Toacarefulobserverthegeneralimpressiongivenbythisfacewassuchasisleftbythesuddensightofawaxenmask。
“Howstrong！Howlifelike！“hewouldhavesaid，“butofcourseitisn’treal。Theremaybeamanbehind，ortheremaybewood，butthat’sonlyamask。“ManypeopleofperceptionhadfeltlikethisaboutSirRobertAylward，namely，thatunderthemaskofhispalecountenancedweltadifferentbeingwhomtheydidnotknoworappreciate。
Ifthesehadseenhimatthismomentoftheopeningofourstory，theymighthaveheldthatWisdomwasjustifiedofherchildren。Fornowinthesolitudeofhissplendidoffice，ofasuddenSirRobert’smaskseemedtofallfromhim。Hisfacebrokeuplikeicebeneathathaw。Herosefromhistableandbegantowalkupanddowntheroom。Hetalkedtohimselfaloud。
“GreatHeavens！“hemuttered，“whatagametohaveplayed，anditwillgothrough。Ibelievethatitwillgothrough。“
Hestoppedatthetable，switchedonanelectriclightandmadearapidcalculationonthebackofaletterwithabluepencil。
“Yes，“hesaid，“that’smyshare，amillionandseventeenthousandpoundsincash，andtwomillioninordinaryshareswhichcanbeworkedoffatadiscount——letussayanothersevenhundredandfiftythousand，pluswhatIhavegotalready——putthatatonlytwohundredandfiftythousandnet。Twomillionsinall，whichofcoursemayormaynotbeaddedto，probablynot，unlesstheordinariesboom，forI
don’tmeantospeculateanymore。That’stheendoftwentyyears’
work，RobertAylward。Andtothinkofit，eighteenmonthsago，althoughIseemedsorich，Iwasonthevergeofbankruptcy——theveryverge，notworthfivethousandpounds。Nowwhatdidthetrick？I
wonderwhatdidthetrick？“
Hewalkeddowntheroomandstoppedoppositetheancientmarble，staringatit——
“NotVenus，Ithink，“hesaid，withalaugh，“Venusnevermadeanymanrich。“Heturnedandretracedhisstepstotheotherendoftheroom，whichwasveiledinshadow。Hereuponasecondmarblepedestalstoodanobjectthatgleameddimlythroughthegloom。Itwasaboutteninchesorafoothigh，butinthatplacenothingmorecouldbeseenofit，exceptthatitwasyellowandhadthegeneralappearanceofatoad。ForsomereasonitseemedtoattractSirRobertAylward，forhehaltedtostareatit，thenstretchedouthishandandswitchedonanotherlamp，inthehardbrillianceofwhichthethinguponthepedestalsuddenlydeclareditself，leapingoutofthedarknessintolight。Itwasaterribleobject，amonstrosityofindeterminatesexandnature，butsurmountedbyawoman’sheadandfaceofextraordinary，ifdevilishloveliness，sunkbackbetweenhighbutgrotesquelysmallshoulders，liketothoseofalizard，sothatitglaredupwards。Theworkmanshipofthethingwasrudeyetstrangelypowerful。Whateverthereiscruel，whateverthereisdevilish，whateverthereisinhumaninthedarkplacesoftheworld，shoneoutofthejewelledeyeswhichweresetinthatyellowfemaleface，yellowbecauseitssubstancewasofgold，afacewhichseemednottobelongtotheembryoniclegsbeneath，forbodytherewasnone，buttofloatabovethem。Ahollow，life-sizedmaskwithtwotinyfrog-likelegs，thatwasthefashionofit。
“Youareanuglybrute，“mutteredSirRobert，contemplatingthiseffigy，“butalthoughIbelieveinnothinginheavenaboveorearthbelow，excepttheabysmalfollyoftheBritishpublic，IambotheredifIdon’tbelieveinyou。AtanyratefromthedaywhenVernonbroughtyouintomyoffice，myluckturned，andtojudgefromthesmileonyoursweetcountenance，Idon’tthinkitisdonewithyet。I
wonderwhatthosestonesareinyoureyes。Opals，Isuppose，fromthewaytheychangecolour。Theyshineuncommonlyto-day，Ineverrememberthemsobright。
Atthismomentaknockcameonthedoor。SirRobertturnedoffthelampandwalkedbacktothefireplace。
“Comein，“hesaid，andashespokeoncemorehispalefacegrewimpassiveandexpressionless。
Thedooropenedandaclerkentered，animposing-lookingclerkwithiron-greyhair，whoworeanirreproachablefrockcoatandpatentleatherboots。Advancingtohismaster，hestoodrespectfullysilent，waitingtobeaddressed。ForquitealongwhileSirRobertlookedoverhisheadasthoughhedidnotseehim；itwasawayofhis。Thenhiseyesrestedonthemandreamilyandheremarkedinhiscold，clearvoice:
“Idon’tthinkIrang，Jeffreys。“
“No，SirRobert，“answeredtheclerk，bowingasthoughhespoketoRoyalty，“butthereisalittlematteraboutthatarticlein/TheCynic/。“
“Pressbusiness，“saidSirRobert，liftinghiseyebrows；“youshouldknowbythistimethatIdonotattendtosuchdetails。SeeMr。
Champers-Haswell，orMajorVernon。“
“Theyarebothoutatthemoment，SirRobert。“
“Goon，then，Jeffreys，“repliedtheheadofthefirmwitharesignedsigh，“onlybebrief。Iamthinking。“
Theclerkbowedagain。
“The/Cynic/peoplehavejusttelephonedthroughaboutthatarticlewesentthem。Ithinkyousawit，sir，andyoumayrememberitbegins——“andhereadfromatypewrittencopyinhishandwhichwasheaded“SaharaLimited“:
“’Wearenowprivilegedtoannouncethatthismightyschemewhichwillturnadesertintoarollingseabearingthecommerceofnationsandcausethewasteplacesoftheearthtoteemwithpopulationandtoblossomliketherose，hasbeencompletedinitsnecessaryifdullfinancialdetailsandwillwithinafewdaysbesubmittedtoinvestorsamongwhomithasalreadycausedsomuchexcitement。Thesedetailswewilldealwithfullyinsucceedingarticles，andthereforenowneedonlypausetosaythatthebasisofcapitalizationstrikesusaswonderfullyadvantageoustothefortunatepublicwhoareaskedtoparticipateinitsvastprospectiveprosperity。Ourpresentobjectistospeakofitsnationalandimperialaspects——’“
SirRobertliftedhiseyesinremonstrance:
“Howmuchmoreofthatexceedinglydullandcommonplacepuffdoyouproposetoread，Jeffreys？“heasked。
“Nomore，SirRobert。Wearepaying/TheCynic/thirtyguineastoinsertthisarticle，andthepointisthattheysaythatiftheyhavetoputinthe’nationalandimperial’businesstheymusthavetwentymore。“
“Indeed，Jeffreys？Why？“
“Because，SirRobert——Iwilltellyou，asyoualwaysliketohearthetruth——theiradvertisement-editorisofopinionthatSaharaLimitedisanationalandimperialswindle。Hesaysthathewon’tdragthenationandtheempireintoitinaneditorialunderfiftyguineas。“
AfaintsmileflickeredonSirRobert’sface。
“Doeshe，indeed？“heasked。“Iwonderathismoderation。HadIbeeninhisplaceIshouldhaveaskedmore，forreallythestyleisalittleflamboyant。Well，wedon’twanttoquarrelwiththemjustnow——
feedthesharks。Butsurely，Jeffreys，youdidn’tcometodisturbmeaboutsuchatrifle？“
“Notaltogether，SirRobert。Thereissomethingmoreimportant。/TheDailyJudge/notonlydeclinestoputanyarticlewhatsoever，butrefusesouradvertisement，andstatesthatitmeanstocriticizetheprospectustrenchantly。“
“Ah！“saidhismasterafteramoment’sthought，“that/is/ratherserious，sincepeoplebelieveinthe/Judge/evenwhenitiswrong。
Offerthemtheadvertisementattreblerates。“
“Ithasbeendone，sir，andtheystillrefuse。“
SirRobertwalkedtothecorneroftheroomwheretheyellowobjectsquattedonitspedestal，andcontemplateditawhile，asamanoftenstudiesonethingwhenheisthinkingofanother。Itseemedtogivehimanidea，forhelookedoverhisshoulderandsaid:
“Thatwilldo，Jeffreys。WhenMajorVernoncomesin，givehimmycomplimentsandsaythatIshouldbeobligedbyawordortwowithhim。“
Theclerkbowedandwentasnoiselesslyashehadentered。