“To be sure it is, for man, woman, and child,” replied Mr. Black. “It is the place to make money, and to spend it when you have made it. What good has a man of his life who resides continually in the country? I often wonder, Dudley, you don’t come up to town for a few months in every year.”
“Where should I get the money, Mr. Black, to do so?” questioned the younger man. “As you justly remarked, a few minutes since, my land is not rich enough to grow five hundred pound Bank of England notes.”
“Good that—devilish good,” chuckled Mr. Black.
“It is easy for a man like you to talk,” went on Arthur, pleased with this flattering acknowledgment of his wit, “for a man with lots of money——”
“My dear fellow, that is the very thing I stand in need of at this moment,” interrupted Mr. Black.
“Well, with money’s worth, then,” continued Arthur. But Mr. Black cut across his sentence again.
“Not with more money’s worth than you have, Squire. If I had your property, it would not be long before I began to dig nuggets out of it. If I had your stock, I would make five hundred pounds a piece out of every head of cattle on your land. If I were a man of substance like you, I would never spend my life dragging after a lot of stupid yokels. I might keep my farm, but it would be for pleasure, for turning myself out to grass on, so to speak, after the fatigue of a London season. Be hanged if I would go on year after year seeing money made without having a try at the cards myself.”
“It is all very well for men who have been brought up to it,” remarked Arthur.
“Brought up to it! What do you mean?” asked Mr. Black. “Do you think I was brought up to all the trades I have made money by? What do you think I started in the world with? A plain commercial education, a mother and a lame sister to keep, and twenty pounds. I never served my time; I never had the chance of learning a business like Raidsford; I was always dragged back by having those two poor useless women to keep; and yet, still, see what I have done!”
“But you began early?” suggested Arthur.