It's worth it!"
"Got a copy of the option, I hope!"
Mr. Bryany produced a copy of the option.
"I am nothing but an infernal ass to mix myself up in a mad scheme
like this," said Edward Henry to his soul, perusing the documents.
"It's right off my line, right bang off it ...! But what a lark!" But
even to his soul he did not utter the remainder of the truth about
himself, namely: "I should like to cut a dash before this insufferable
patronizer of England and the Five Towns."
Suddenly something snapped within him and he said to Mr. Bryany:
"I'm on!"
Those words and no more!
"You are?" Mr. Bryany exclaimed, mistrusting his ears.
Edward Henry nodded.
"Well, that's business anyway!" said Mr. Bryany, taking a fresh
cigarette and lighting it.
"It's how we do business down here," said Edward Henry, quite
inaccurately; for it was not in the least how they did business down
there.
Mr. Bryany asked, with a rather obvious anxiety:
"But when can you pay?"
"Oh, I'll send you a cheque in a day or two." And Edward Henry in his
turn took a fresh cigarette.
"That won't do! That won't do!" cried Mr. Bryany. "I absolutely must
have the money to-morrow morning in London. I can sell the option in
London for eighty pounds--I know that."
"You must have it?"
"Must!"
They exchanged glances. And Edward Henry, rapidly acquiring new
knowledge of human nature on the threshold of a world strange to him,
understood that Mr.
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