“Had you paid the insurance on those vessels, like honest men would have done, I and every other creditor would have been satisfied in full; but now we don’t get one penny!
“No, not a solitary farthing!
“And do you think I don’t know all about your scheme—eh, you smiling old villain?
“Don’t I know that young Redgill is going to be your son-in-law, eh? and that if you had paid the insurance, he wouldn’t lawfully come in for one penny?
“Do you think I don’t know all about it, you scheming scoundrel?”
Mr. Moss was bursting with rage.
This disclosure only tended to raise the ire of the other creditors, who became so furious and noisy that they crowded round poor Sir Andrew, gesticulating and cursing so that they reminded one of a pack of hungry and furious wolves.
Sir Andrew was placid as a lamb, and said not a word.
He played with his watch keys, and gazed at the fire, until, when his noisy visitors had departed, he smiled, and said,
“Well, let them howl as much as they like. I am all right—so that’s all that concerns me! It wasn’t a bad idea! They can’t touch the money of mine now which my wife placed to the account of her sister, for it is all in the name of a third party, and is taken for her own personalty. Who cares if others do lose? Why, if we had paid the policies, I shouldn’t be worth one penny! In fact, we couldn’t pay it. By closing doors we have ‘done’ them all, and saved ourselves! They may say what they please; ‘business is business,’ but let every one take care of themselves.”