"Geoffry, it's six-and-twenty years or so since I sat in this very place and asked a favour of you."
"Ah! thereabouts," responded Geoffry from over his private volume.
"Which was refused," added the old gentleman.
"Of course it was."
"Ahem."
Mr. Hinchford cleared his throat with some violence. He did not like this method of receiving his first remarks; it warmed his blood after the old fashion, and, what was better, it cleared off his nervousness.
"One would think that I had got over asking favours of a brother who had proved himself so hard——"
"No," interrupted Geoffry, "not hard—but go on."
"And yet I am here again to ask a second favour, and chance as curt a denial."
"Ah! I did hope, James, that you were here to say 'I was in the wrong to take myself off in a huff, because my brother would not let me fling some of his money after my own,' or, at least to say, 'Glad to see you, Geoffry, and hope to see you more often after this,'—but favours!"