“Ahem!” said Mr. Tarbell. Words seemed to have failed him.
“And what is more,” persisted Lanny, “Zaharoff admitted as much in my presence.”
“Who is Zaharoff?”
It was Lanny's turn to be surprised. “Zaharoff is the richest man in the world, sir.”
“Indeed! Is he richer than Rockefeller?”
“He controls most of the armament plants of Europe, and my father says this war has made him the richest man in the world. Now he is keen for the war to continue — 'jusqu'àè bout,' he said. My father had a letter from Lord Riddell the other day, saying that was Zaharoff's phrase.”
“And this man admits that his motive is profits?”
“Not in those words, sir, but it was the clear sense of many things he said.”
“You know him personally, you mean?”
“I was in his home in Paris last March, with my father, and they talked about the war a great deal, as businessmen and makers of munitions.”