"Not now. Come inside; I have something to tell you."
They stepped inside: never before had Will observed the Count to be so disturbed.
"Miall & Welling," he said, hurriedly, "I have just heard—not ten minutes ago—have collapsed—the announcement will be made to-day—the directors were in the place till twelve last night. It will be the most fearful crash, they say; for the bank has lately been making the wildest efforts to save itself——"
"I thought Miall & Welling's was as safe as the Bank of England," said Will—just a trifle pale.
Every farthing of his father's money was in this bank, which had never even been suspected in the most general crises.
"It may be only a rumour," continued the Count. "But you may as well wait, to see if the evening papers have anything about it."
"It will be a pretty story to carry down with me to Kent," said Will.
"That's what I was thinking of," said the Count, kindly—indeed he was not wholly a selfish man; "and I thought I might go down with you, if you liked, and try to help your father over the first shock. It will be a terrible blow to him—a man who has lived a quiet and easy life, with a little hunting, and shooting, and so on. I shouldn't wonder if it entirely upset him and did some harm——"
"You don't know my father," said Will.
They had not to wait for the evening papers. By twelve o'clock the news was current in the city. Miall & Welling had sent out their circular: the bank had suspended payment.