“Itis，SirRobert，“wentonAlanwitharush，“thatIdonotlikethelinesuponwhichthisbusinessisbeingworked，andIwishtogiveupmyinterestinitandretirefromthefirm，asIhavearighttodounderourdeedofpartnership。“
“Haveyou？“saidAylward。“Really，Iforget。But，mydearfellow，donotthinkthatweshouldwishtokeepyouforonemomentagainstyourwill。Only，mightIask，hasthatoldpuritan，Jackson，hypnotizedyou，orisitacaseofsuddenmadnessafterinfluenza？“
“Neither，“answeredAlansternly，foralthoughhemightbediffidentonmattersthathedidnotthoroughlyunderstand，hewasnotamantobrooktriflingorimpertinence。“ItiswhatIhavesaid，nomorenorless。Iamnotsatisfiedeitherastothecapitalizationorastotheguaranteethattheenterprisecanbereallycarriedout。Further“——andhepaused，——“Further，IshouldlikewhatIhaveneveryetbeenabletoobtain，moreinformationastothatFirmanunderwhichtheconcessionisgranted。“
ForonemomentasortoftremorpassedoverSirRobert’simpassivecountenance，whileMr。Haswellutteredhiswindywhistle，thistimeinatoneofplaintiveremonstrance。
“Asyouhaveformallyresignedyourmembershipofthefirm，Idonotseethatanyusefulpurposecanbeservedbydiscussingsuchmatters。
Thefullestexplanations，ofcourse，weshouldhavebeenwillingtogive——“
“MydearAlan，“brokeinMr。Champers-Haswell，whowasquiteupset，“I
doimploreyoutoreflectforonemoment，foryourownsake。Inasingleweekyouwouldhavebeenawealthyman；doyoureallymeantothrowawayeverythingforawhim？“
“PerhapsVernonremembersthatheholdsover1700oftheSyndicateshareswhichwehaveworkedupto￡18，andthinksitwisertocapturetheprofitinsight，generallyspeakingaverysoundprinciple，“
interruptedAylwardsarcastically。
“Youaremistaken，SirRobert，“repliedAlan，flushing。“ThewaythatthoseshareshavebeenartificiallyputupisoneofthethingstowhichImostobject。IshallonlyaskforminethefacevaluewhichI
paidforthem。“
Nownotwithstandingtheirexperience，bothoftheseniorpartnersdidforamomentlookratherscared。Suchfolly，orsuchhonesty，wasabsolutelyincredibletothem。Theyfeltthattheremustbemuchbehind。SirRobert，however，recoveredinstantly。
“Verywell，“hesaid；“itisnotforustodictatetoyou；youmustmakeyourownbedandlieonit。Toargueorremonstratewouldonlyberude。“Heputouthishandandpushedthebuttonofanelectricbell，addingashedidso，“Ofcourseweunderstandonething，Vernon，namely，thatasagentlemanandamanofhonouryouwillmakenopublicuseoftheinformationwhichyouhaveacquiredduringyourstayinthisoffice，eithertoourdetriment，personalorfinancial，ortoyourownadvantage。“
“Certainlyyoumayunderstandthat，“repliedVernon。“Unlessmycharacterisattackedanditbecomesnecessaryformetodefendmyself，mylipsaresealed。“
“Thatwillneverhappen——whyshouldit？“saidSirRobertwithapolitebow。
Thedooropenedandtheheadclerk，Jeffreys，appeared。
“Mr。Jeffreys，“saidSirRobert，“pleasefindusthedeedofpartnershipbetweenMajorVernonandourselves，andbringithere。Onemoment。PleasemakeoutalsoatransferofMajorVernon’sparcelofSaharaSyndicatesharestoMr。Champers-Haswellandmyselfatparvalue，andfillinachequefortheamount。PleaseremovealsoMajorVernon’snamewhereveritappearsintheproofprospectus，and——yes——
onethingmore。TelephonetoSpecton——theRightHonourabletheEarlofSpecton，Imean，andsaythatafterallIhavebeenabletoarrangethatheshallhaveaseatontheBoardandablockofsharesataverymoderatefigure，andthatifhewillwirehisassent，hisnameshallbeputintotheprospectus。Youapprove，don’tyou，Haswell？——yes——
thenthatisall，Ithink，Jeffreys，onlypleasebeasquickasyoucan，forIwanttogetaway。“
Jeffreys，theimmaculateandtheimpassive，bowed，andcastingoneswiftglanceatVernonoutofthecornerofhiseye，departed。
Whatiscalledanawkwardpauseensued；infactitwasaveryawkwardpause。Thediewascast，thematterended，andwhatweretheprincipalstodountiltheratificationshadbeenexchangedor，abettersimileperhaps，the/decreenisi/pronouncedabsolute。Mr。
Champers-HaswellremarkedthattheweatherwasverycoldforApril，andAlanagreedwithhim，whileSirRobertfoundhishatandbrusheditwithhissleeve。ThenMr。Haswell，indesperation，forinminormattershewasakindlysortofmanwhodislikedscenesandunpleasantness，mutteredsomethingastoseeinghim——Alan——athishouse，TheCourt，inHertfordshire，fromSaturdaytoMonday。
“Thatwasthearrangement，“answeredAlanbluntly，“butpossiblyafterwhathashappenedyouwillnotwishthatitshouldbekept。“
“Oh！whynot，whynot？“saidMr。Haswell。“Sundayisadayofrestwhenwemakeitarulenottotalkbusiness，andifwedid，perhapswemightallchangeourmindsaboutthesematters。SirRobertiscoming，andIamsurethatyourcousinBarbarawillbeverydisappointedifyoudonotturnup，forsheunderstandsnothingaboutthesecitythingswhichareGreektoher。“
AtthementionofthenameofBarbaraSirRobertAylwardlookedupfromthepaperswhichheaffectedtobetidying，andAlanthoughtthattherewasakindofchallengeinhiseyes。AmomentbeforehehadmadeuphismindthatnopoweronearthwouldinducehimtospendaSundaywithhislatepartnersatTheCourt。Now，actinguponsomeinstinctorimpulse，hereversedhisopinion。
“Thanks，“hesaid，“ifthatisunderstood，Ishallbehappytocome。I
willdriveoverfromYarleysintimefordinnerto-morrow。PerhapsyouwillsaysotoBarbara。“
“Shewillbeglad，Iamsure，“answeredMr。Haswell，“forshetoldmetheotherdaythatshewantstoconsultyouaboutsomeoutdoortheatricalsthatshemeanstogetupinJuly。“
“InJuly！“answeredAlanwithalittlelaugh。“IwonderwhereIshallbeinJuly。“
Thencameanotherpause，whichseemedtoaffectevenSirRobert’snerves，forabandoningthepapers，hewalkeddowntheroomtillhecametothegoldenobjectthathasbeendescribed，andforthesecondtimethatdaystoodtherecontemplatingit。
“Thisthingisyours，Vernon，“hesaid，“andnowthatourrelationsareatanend，Isupposethatyouwillwanttotakeitaway。Whatisitshistory？Younevertoldme。“
“Oh！that’salongstory，“answeredAlaninanabsentvoice。“Myuncle，whowasamissionary，broughtitfromWestAfrica。Iratherforgetthefacts，butJeekie，mynegroservant，knowsthemall，forasaladmyunclesavedhimfromsacrifice，orsomething，inaplacewheretheyworshipthesethings，andhehasbeenwithuseversince。
Itisafetishwithmagicalpowersandalltherestofit。IbelievetheycallittheSwimmingHeadandothernames。Ifyoulookatit，youwillseethatitseemstoswimbetweentheshoulders，doesn’tit？“
“Yes，“saidSirRobert，“andIadmirethebeautifulbeast。Sheiscruelandartistic，like——likefinance。Lookhere，Vernon，wehavequarrelled，andofcoursehenceforthareenemies，foritisnousemincingmatters，onlyfoolsdothat。Butinawayyouarebeinghardlytreated。Youcouldget￡10apieceto-dayforthosesharesofyoursinablockonthemarket，andIampayingyou￡1。Iunderstandyourscruples，butthereisnoreasonwhyweshouldnotsquarethings。Thisfetishofyourshasbroughtmeluck，solet’sdoadeal。Leaveithere，andinsteadofacheckfor￡1700，Iwillmakeyouoneoutfor￡17，000。“
“That’saveryliberaloffer，“saidVernon。“Givemeamomenttothinkitover。“
Thenhealsowalkedintothecorneroftheroomandcontemplatedthegoldenmaskthatseemedtofloatbetweenthefrog-likeshoulders。Theshimmeringeyesdrewhiseyes，thoughwhathesawinthemdoesnotmatter。Indeedhecouldneverremember。Onlywhenhestraightenedhimselfagaintherewasleftonhismindadeterminationthatnotforseventeenorforseventythousandpoundswouldhepartwithhisownershipinthisveryuniquefetish。
“No，thankyou，“hesaidpresently。“Idon’tthinkIwillselltheYellowGod，asJeekiecallsit。Perhapsyouwillkindlykeepherhereforaweekorso，untilImakeupmymindwheretostowher。“
AgainMr。Champers-Haswellutteredhiswindywhistle。Thatamanshouldrefuse￡17，000forabitofAfricangoldworth￡100orso，struckhimasmiraculous。ButSirRobertdidnotseemintheleastsurprised，onlyverydisappointed。
“Iquiteunderstandyourdisliketoselling，“hesaid。“Thankyouforleavingithereforthepresenttoseeusthroughtheflotation，“andhelaughed。
AtthatmomentJeffreysenteredtheroomwiththedocuments。SirRoberthandedthedeedofpartnershiptoAlan，andwhenhehadidentifiedit，tookitfromhimagainandthrewitonthefire，sayingthatofcoursetheformalletterofreleasewouldbepostedandthedissolutionnotifiedinthe/Gazette/。Thenthetransferwassignedandthechequedelivered。
“Well，good-byetillSaturday，“saidAlanwhenhehadreceivedthelatter，andnoddingtothemboth，heturnedandlefttheroom。
ThepassageranpastthelittleroominwhichMr。Jeffreys，theheadclerk，satalone。Catchingsightofhimthroughtheopendoor，Alanentered，shuttingitbehindhim。Findinghiskeyringheremovedfromitthekeysofhisdeskandoftheofficestrongroom，andhandedthemtotheclerkwho，methodicalineverything，proceededtowriteaformalreceipt。
“Youareleavingus，MajorVernon？“hesaidinterrogativelyashesignedthepaper。
“Yes，Jeffreys，“answeredAlan，thenpromptedbysomeimpulse，added，“Areyousorry？“