“Do you consider The Guardian weaker security than it was?” he inquired.
“I have not said so,” replied the impassive walrus.
“You have n’t said anything. Do you intend to, or am I wasting my time?”
Jeremy arose, looking at the financier with a lively eye. This was not at all what Wanser desired. He intended to read this young sprig of journalism an impressive and costly lesson, after first reducing him to a condition of affliction suitable for the punitive exercise. It annoyed him to find that Jeremy did not reduce; on the contrary, that he was likely to escape uninstructed in that discipline to which he, Wanser, was leading by gradual stages. Forced to a shorter cut he said oracularly:
“A newspaper’s best asset is its friends.”
The editor’s regard continued intent.
“Its heaviest liability is enemies.”
Still no response from the beneficiary of these pearls of wisdom.
“A newspaper is on the down-grade when it makes unfair and prejudiced attacks upon—upon any class of people.”
“Talk plain, Mr. Wanser. You mean the Germans.”