"Weren't you?" said Anthony. "Let me see, I think you said you'd take it on your way to China and Japan."
"Did I? I tried to be straight about it. I thought I was giving it a fair chance. But that was before I'd seen Réveillaud."
"Well," said Anthony, "now that you have seen him, what is it exactly that you want to do?"
Michael told him.
"You can make it easy for me. Or you can make it hard. But you can't stop me."
"What makes you think I want to stop you?"
"Well--you want me to go into the business, though I told you years ago there was only one thing I should ever be any good at. And I see your point. I can't earn my living at it. That's where I'm had. Still, I think Lawrence Stephen will give me work, and I can rub along somehow."
"Without my help, you mean?"
"Well, yes. Why should you help me? You've wasted tons of money on me as it is. Nicky's earning his own living, and he's got a wife, too. Why not me?"
"Because you can't do it, Michael."