“But surely you would not bribe him to—”
“Don’t use ugly terms. If I saw my way to make a hundred thousand pounds I should not shrink from giving a man five hundred to help me make it.”
“No, nor a thousand,” said Jessop.
“My dear boy, I would get him for five hundred if I could, but if I could not, I would go higher than you say; in fact, I would go up to ninety-five thousand sooner than lose five. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand. Anything to turn an honest penny.”
“Exactly! So now then, as soon as possible, we must begin to feel our way, so as to secure our man.”
“But if there is not such a man to be had?”
“Then we must make one.”
“Wrigley, I thought I was sharp,” said Jessop, with a peculiar smile.
“But you find there is always a sharper.”