"'In fact, you are becoming daily, slowly and surely, a miser.'
"'It's not a nice word.'
"'It is the truth. Your clerks are the most ill-paid of any in the City of London. Only last week you cut down your office boy's tiny salary from ten shillings a week to seven shillings, although you know he has to pay two shillings a week for fares to and from your office.'
"'How can I help his living out of town?'
"'You know he has to live with his mother and brothers and sisters, five of them in addition to himself. He only takes home five shillings every week, but he gives it all up; he is happier than you are.'
"'Any way, I know how to arrange my own business,' snapped the
Alderman. 'I have prospered so far, and I intend to go on and prosper;
I am not going to change a single thing in my life or my methods of
business. I have prospered up to now, I shall prosper even more.'
"'And hoard more?' inquired Lal gently.
"'Yes, you call it hoarding. I call it amassing, and I shall strain every nerve to amass more and more; it is too late in my life to alter now.'
"'We shall see,' said the Lion. 'I was going to ask you to do something for me, something for some one who is as penniless as you were once yourself; but if I did ask you a favour now I should only waste time.'
"'I have no time for charity,' said the Alderman. 'I heartily begrudge the subscriptions we have to give from time to time in the City, yet one is compelled to assist some of those for the sake of business; but as for any outside charity, pooh! it's all rot, it's been proved long ago they are all frauds. I shall always decline absolutely to give anything or do anything for any outside charity. Life is too short.'