The executors of Mr. Redgill, senior, were not long, of course, in presenting their “policies” for adjustment at the insurance office.
But Sir Andrew was “out of town, and was not expected to return for several days; but upon his return all just claims would be settled,” said the clerk.
Mr. Moss, as one of those principally interested, felt comforted, and awaited Sir Andrew’s return with recomposed feelings, but hot impatience.
When the affairs of the “London Insurance Company” were examined commercial circles were greatly surprised to find it unable to meet the heavy loss which had unexpectedly fallen upon it by the wreck of the vessels, and that, far from being able to pay £500,000 to the estate of Mr. Redgill, deceased, it was not possessed of more than a fiftieth part of that sum.
In truth, at the time in which these events occurred, the latter part of the merry monarch’s reign, the London money market was in a very unsafe, unsettled condition, and commerce was trembling on the brink of ruin from inflated currency, wild speculation, and general distrust.
Leading men had predicted the inevitability of “a general smash” should things thus continue, yet none were, of course, able to divine in which direction the storm might first break out.
When it was known on ’Change, therefore, that Sir Andrew’s office was unable to meet its liabilities many raised their hands and eyes in wonder, and exclaimed—
“Who’d a believed it?”
This was poor consolation to old Moss the Jew, and other persons interested in the settlement of Mr. Redgill’s affairs.
With a stooping gait, shrivelled face and hands, old Moss journeyed to and fro in an undeniable state of despair, and was in such a rage that he ordered his agent to turn every poor devil out of his numerous tenements who had not paid every farthing of their rents.