“No, Cardus, I didn’t; business first, pleasure afterwards—eh?”
“Yes,” said Mr. Cardus, in his soft, jerky way. “Business first, pleasure afterwards.”
Mr. de Talor fidgeted his legs about.
“Well, Cardus, about that mortgage. You are going to give me a little more time, I hope?”
“On the contrary, Mr. de Talor, the interest being now eight months overdue, I have given my London agents orders to foreclose, for I don’t conduct such business myself.”
De Talor turned pale. “Foreclose! Good God, Cardus! it is not possible—on such an old friend too!”
“Excuse me, it is not only possible, but a fact. Business is business, even where old friends are concerned.”
“But if you foreclose, what is to become of me, Cardus?”
“That, I imagine, is a matter for your exclusive consideration.”
His visitor gasped, and looked like an unfortunate fish suddenly pulled out of the water.