‘Your partner!’ ejaculated Philip, astounded by the abruptness of this extraordinary proposal.
‘Don’t you like the notion? Most young fellows would snap at it.’
‘I am aware of that, Mr Shield; but I have no capital except what my fa’——
‘That’s all right. You go to Hawkins and Jackson. They will satisfy you that you have plenty of capital, and will explain to you that there is a chance for you to become one of the biggest men in London—M.P.—Lord Mayor—anything you like, if you only enter into partnership with me.’
‘I am a little bewildered, sir, and would like to understand exactly’——
‘Hawkins is waiting for you,’ said Mr Shield, looking at his watch; ‘he will make everything plain to you before you leave him. He has full orders—instructions, that is to say. I have somebody else to see now. You’ll write and tell me how you take to the plan, and I’ll let you know when we are to meet again.’
‘I ought to thank you; but’——
‘Don’t bother about that—time enough for it—time enough. Good-bye.’
The interview was over. Philip was metaphorically hustled out of the room by the brusque, good-natured relative he had just found. He felt confused and bewildered as he walked slowly down Regent Street, trying to realise the meaning of all the suggestions which had been made to him. There was something humorous, too, in having a fortune thrust upon him in this singular fashion. For he knew that to become the partner of Austin Shield was equivalent to inheriting a large fortune.
In their correspondence of course, Mr Shield had told him that he meant to ‘see what could be done for him;’ but he had added that everything would depend upon how they got on together, after they had lived for a time under the same roof. Now everything was given to him when they had been only a few minutes together—indeed had been given before they met at all, for all arrangements in reference to the partnership had been already made, and only awaited his acceptance.