“Ah, but I can’t declare it,” said Michael.
“Why not?” cried Morris.
“I can’t produce the corpus, Morris. I’ve lost it,” said the lawyer.
“Stop a bit,” ejaculated the leather merchant. “How is this? It’s not possible. I lost it.”
“Well, I’ve lost it too, my son,” said Michael, with extreme serenity. “Not recognising it, you see, and suspecting something irregular in its origin, I got rid of—what shall we say?—got rid of the proceeds at once.”
“You got rid of the body? What made you do that?” wailed Morris. “But you can get it again? You know where it is?”
“I wish I did, Morris, and you may believe me there, for it would be a small sum in my pocket; but the fact is, I don’t,” said Michael.
“Good Lord,” said Morris, addressing heaven and earth, “good Lord, I’ve lost the leather business!”
Michael was once more shaken with laughter.