“No commission at all, Jacob.”
Jacob’s jaws relaxed. “No commission? Whom did you buy for, sir?”
“For myself, Jacob.”
Jacob dropped the papers on the table, and leaned against it dizzily; his breath forsook him. Finally, Mr. Bendibow said: “Jacob, you are even more a fool than I took you for.”
“But how.... When did you buy, sir?” faltered Jacob.
“Eight or nine years ago,” Mr. Bendibow replied.
“Then ... why, then you must have got it at under two hundred?”
“Eighty to a hundred and twenty,” said Mr. Bendibow, curtly.
There was another pause. Jacob moistened his lips and passed his hand over his forehead. Suddenly he screamed out, “But you haven’t sold, sir!”
“Well, Jacob?”