‘Of course I must pay what you choose to charge me.’

’It isn’t that, Mr Crosbie.  The bill is out for collection, and must be collected.  In times like these we must draw ourselves in a little, you know.  Two hundred and fifty pounds isn’t a great deal of money, you will say; but every little helps, you know; and, besides, of course we go upon a system.  Business is business, and must not be made pleasure of.  I should have a great deal of pleasure in doing this for you, but it can’t be done in the way of business.’

‘When will Broughton be here?’

’He may be in at any time—­I can’t say when.  I suppose he’s down at the court now.’

‘What court?’

‘Capel Court.’

‘I suppose I can see him there?’ said Crosbie.

’If you catch him you can see him, of course.  But what good will that do you, Mr Crosbie?  I tell you we can’t do it for you.  If Broughton was here at this moment, it couldn’t make the slightest difference.’

Now Mr Crosbie had an idea that Mr Musselboro, though he sat in Dobbs Broughton’s seat and kept on his hat, and balanced his chair on two legs, was in truth nothing more than a clerk.  He did not quite understand the manner in which the affairs of the establishment were worked, though he had been informed that Mrs Van Siever was one of the partners.  That Dobbs Broughton was the managing man, who really did the business, he was convinced; and he did not therefore like to be answered peremptorily by such a one as Musselboro.  ’I should wish to see Mr Broughton,’ he said.

’You can call again—­or you can go down to the court if you like it.  But you may take this as an answer from me that the bill can’t be renewed by us.’  At this moment the door of the room was opened and Dobbs Broughton himself came into it.  His face was not at all pleasant, and anyone might have seen with half an eye that the money-market was a great deal tighter than he liked it to be.  ’Here is Mr Crosbie here—­about his bill,’ said Musselboro.

‘Mr Crosbie must take up his bill; that’s all,’ said Dobbs Broughton.

‘But it doesn’t suit me to take it up,’ said Crosbie.

‘Then you must take it up without suiting you,’ said Dobbs Broughton.

It might have been seen, I said, with half an eye, that Mr Broughton did not like the state of the money-market; and it might also be seen with the other half that he had been endeavouring to mitigate the bitterness of his dislike by alcoholic aid.  Musselboro at once perceived that his patron and partner was half drunk, and Crosbie was aware that he had been drinking.  But, nevertheless, it was necessary that something more should be said.  The bill would be due tomorrow—­was payable at Crosbie’s bankers; and, as Mr Crosbie too well knew, there were no funds there for that purpose.  And there were other purposes, very needful, for which Mr Crosbie’s funds were at the present moment unfortunately by no means sufficient.