“Cannot,” Sir Edward said earnestly. “I would pay you on the spot, my friend, if it were possible for me to do so.”
“That’s the point. How do I know that it ever will be possible?”
“I can convince you of that.”
“In what way?”
“First tell me—if convinced of my integrity and ability to pay you later, will you complete the work you thus far have done so ably?”
“I will consider it, at least, and very possibly do it,” said Pimlico, after a moment.
Sir Edward drew nearer the table and rested his arms on it. Gazing intently across it at his hearer, he said, with augmented feeling, but with voice somewhat lowered:
“I will tell you just where I stand and why I have done this, something I directed Gammon not to confide to you.”
“Nor did he,” said Pimlico simply.
“Gammon is a man of his word. I happen to know that, my friend, or I would not have employed him for work of this kind. So am I a man of my word,” Sir Edward forcibly added. “I am a man of high standing in England, a man of character and ambition, in the way of which is the one barrier I now want removed. An earldom and a vast fortune await me when that is out of my way.”