It is enough to dazzle the eyes of a miser, or render him blind, to look at the show of gold bars piled up behind the railings, in those large glass presses. Thousands of them! And they are piled up just as I have often seen the stacks of solder in a plumber or gas-fitter's shop in America, without any seeming care as to how they are laid.
Here a couple of men entered with kegs, and one of them, stepping up to me, asks:
"Would you like to handle a large sum of money, Sir?"
"I don't care if I do," I said; and the very polite gentleman went to a safe in the corner and opening one of the numerous black doors of iron which ornament every portion of the room, he brought forth four medium sized packages, and laid them on the counter before me, saying:
"Please to hold open your hand. Now, Sir, there are four packages of Bank of England notes, all ready for delivery, and in each package is one million of pounds."
"I BEGAN TO PERSPIRE."
I began to perspire and lose my sight and hearing. "Can there be," I said, "so much money in the world?" and then I heard him say again:
"Please to examine the packages—one—two—three—four—millions."