On the next morning there came a message to him as he was dressing.Mr Wharton wished to speak to him.Would he come down before breakfast, or would he call on Mr Wharton in Stone Buildings? He sent down word that he would do the latter at an hour to be fixed, and then did not show himself in the breakfast-room till Mr Wharton was gone.'I've got to go to your father to-day,' he said to his wife, 'and I thought it best not to begin till we come to the regular business.I hope he does not mean to be unreasonable.' To this she made no answer.'Of course you think the want of reason will be all on my side.'
'I don't know why you should say so.'
'Because I can read your mind.You do think so.You've been in the same boat with your father all your life, and you can't get out of that boat and get into mine.I was wrong to come and live here.Of course it was not the way to withdraw you from his influence.' She had nothing to say that would not anger him, and was therefore silent.'Well; I must do the best I can by myself, I suppose.Good-bye,' and so he was off.
'I want to know,' said Mr Wharton, on whom was thrown by premeditation on the part of Lopez the task of beginning the conversation,--'I want to know what is the nature of your operation.I have never been quite able to understand it.'
'I do not know that I quite understand it myself,' said Lopez laughing.
'No man alive,' continued the old barrister almost solemnly, 'has a greater objection to thrust himself into another man's affairs than I have.And I didn't ask the question before your marriage, --as perhaps I ought to have done,--I should not do so now, were it not that the disposition of some part of my earnings of my life must depend on the condition of your affairs.' Lopez immediately perceived that it behoved him to be very much on the alert.It might be that if he showed himself to be very poor, his father-in-law would see the necessity of assisting him at once, or it might be, that unless he could show himself to be in prosperous circumstances, his father-in-law would not assist him at all.'To tell you the plain truth, I am minded to make a new will.I had of course made arrangements as to my property before Emily's marriage.Those arrangements I think I shall now alter.
I am greatly distressed with Everett, and from what I see and from a few words that have dropped from Emily, I am not, to tell you the truth, quite happy as to your position.If I understand rightly you are a general merchant, buying and selling goods in the market?'
'That's about it, sir.'
'What capital have you in the business?'
'What capital?'
'Yes;--how much did you put into it at starting?'
Lopez paused a moment.He had got his wife.The marriage could not be undone.Mr Wharton had money enough for them all, and would not certainly would not discard his daughter.Mr Wharton could place him on a really equal footing, and might not improbably do so if he could be made to feel some confidence in his son-in-law.At this moment there was much doubt with the son-in-law whether he had better not tell the simple truth.'It has gone in by degrees,' he said.'Altogether I have about 8,000pounds in it.' In truth he had never been possessed of a shilling.
'Does that include the 3,000 pounds you had from me?'
'Yes; it does.'
'Then you have married my girl and started into the world with a business based on 5,000 pounds, and which had so far miscarried that within a month of two after your marriage you were driven to apply to me for funds!'
'I wanted money for a certain purpose.'
'Have you any partner, Mr Lopez?' This address was felt to be very ominous.
'Yes.I have a partner who is possessed of capital.His name is Parker.'
'Then his capital is your capital.'
'Well;--I can't explain it, but it is not so.'
'What is the name of your firm?'
'We haven't a registered name.'
'Have you a place of business?'
'Parker has a place of business in Little Tankard Yard.'
Mr Wharton turned to a directory and found out Parker's name.
'Mr Parker is a stockbroker.Are you also a stockbroker?'
'No,--I am not.'
'Then, sir, it seems to me that you are a commercial adventurer.'
'I am not at all ashamed of the name, Mr Wharton.According to your manner of reckoning half the business of the City of London is done by commercial adventurers.I watch the markets and buy goods,--and sell them at a profit.Mr Parker is a moneyed man, who happens also to be a stockbroker.We can very easily call ourselves merchants, and put up the names of Lopez and Parker over the door.'
'Do you sign bills together?'
'Yes.'
'As Lopez and Parker?'
'No.I sign them and he signs them.I trade also by myself, and so, I believe, does he.'
'One other question, Mr Lopez.On what income have you paid income-tax for the last three years?'
'On 2,000 pounds a year,' said Lopez.This was a direct lie.
'Can you make out any schedule showing your exact assets and liabilities at the present time?'
'Certainly I can.'
'Then do so, and send it to me before I go into Hertfordshire.
My will as it stands at present would not be to your advantage.
But I cannot change it till I know more of your circumstances than I do now.' And so the interview was over.