“Ah, they all do,” sighed his lordship, once more a picture of indolent nonchalance.
He selected from the rack beside him four cards, one from each of the little packs in the lower range. These he spread face upward on the table before him.
“I never trouble about money,” said his lordship, smiling.
“You probably don’t need to, with thirty thousand a year,” suggested Mackeller.
“Ah, that’s exaggerated,” explained his lordship. “You forget the beastly income tax. Still, I was not referring to the amount; I merely wished to explain my methods of dealing with it. Here are the names and addresses of four eminent solicitor persons in the city. There is little use of my keeping four dogs and barking myself, is there? I’ve really twelve dogs altogether, as represented in this cardcase, but one or other of these four will doubtless suit our purpose. Now, this firm of solicitors attends to one form of charity.”
“I don’t want charity,” growled Mackeller.
“Quite so. I am merely explaining. This firm attends to all the charities that are recognized in our set; the hospitals, the—well whatever they happen to be. When applied to personally in these matters, I write my name on the card of these solicitors, and forward it. Application is then made to them. They look into the matter, and save me the fatigue of investigation. The next firm”—holding up a second card—“deals with charities that are our of our purview; halfdays at the seaside, and that sort of thing. Now I come to business. This firm”—showing the third card—“looks after permanent investments, while this”—lifting the fourth—“takes charge of anything which is speculative in its nature. The applicant receives the particular card which pertains to his particular line of desire. He calls upon the estimable firm of solicitors, and either convinces them, or fails: gets his money, or doesn’t. So you see, my affairs are competently transacted, and I avoid the emotional strain of listening to explanations which probably I have not the mental grasp of business to understand. Now, which of these four cards may I have the pleasure of autographing for you?”
“Not one of them, my lord,” replied Mackeller. “The Honorable John Hazel said that if you would listen to me, he thought I might interest you.”
“Oh, impossible,” drawled his lordship, sitting back languidly in his chair.
“Yes, he said it would be a hard task, but I am accustomed to difficulties. I asked you, as we came in, to give me ten minutes. Will you do it?”