第1章

SirRobertAylward，Bart。，M。P。，satinhisofficeintheCityofLondon。Itwasaverymagnificentoffice，quiteoneofthefinestthatcouldbefoundwithinhalfamileoftheMansionHouse。ItsexteriorwasbuiltofAberdeengranite，amaterialcalculatedtoimpresstheprospectiveinvestorwithacomfortablesenseofsecurity。Otherstucco，orevenbrick-built，officesmightcrumbleandfallinanactualorafinancialsense，butthisrock-likeedificeofgranite，surmountedbyalife-sizedstatueofJusticewithherscales，admiredfromeithercornerbypleasingeffigiesofCommerceandofIndustry，wouldsurelyendureanyshock。Earthquakecouldscarcelyshakeitsstrongfoundations；panicanddisasterwouldassoonaffecttheBankofEngland。Thatatleastwastheimpressionwhichithadbeendesignedtoconvey，andnotwithoutsuccess。

“Thereissomuchinexternals，“Mr。Champers-Haswell，SirRobert’spartner，wouldsayinhischeerfulvoice。“Weareallofusinfluencedbythem，howeverunconsciously。Impressthepublic，mydearAylward。

Letsolemnitywithoutsuggestopulencewithin，andthebread，orratherthegranite，whichyouthrowuponthewaterswillcomebacktoyouaftermanydays。“

Mr。Aylward，forthisconversationoccurredbeforehismeritsorthedepthofhispursehadbeenrewardedbyabaronetcy，lookedathispartnerintheimpassivefashionforwhichhewasfamous，andanswered:

“Youmixyourmetaphors，Haswell，butifyoumeanthatthepublicarefoolswhomustbecaughtbyadvertisement，Iagreewithyou。OnlythisparticularadvertisementisexpensiveandIdonotwanttowaitmanydaysformyreward。However，￡20，000onewayortheotherisasmallmatter，sotellthatarchitecttodothethingingranite。“

SirRobertAylwardsatinhisownquietroomatthebackofthisenduringbuilding，averysplendidroomthatanySecretaryofStatemighthaveenvied，butarrangedinexcellenttaste。Itswallswerepanelledwithfiguredteak，arichcarpetmadethefootfallnoiseless，anantiqueVenusstooduponamarblepedestalinthecorner，andoverthemantelpiecehungafineportraitbyGainsborough，thatofacertainMissAylward，afamousbeautyinherday，withwhom，beitadded，itspresentownercouldboastnoconnectionwhatsoever。

SirRobertwasseatedathisebonydeskplayingwithapencil，andthelightfromacheerfulfirefelluponhisface。

Initsownwayitwasaremarkableface，asheappearedtheninhisfourthandfortiethyear；verypalebutwithanaturalpallor，verywellcutandonthewholeimpressive。Hiseyesweredark，matchinghisblackhairandpointedbeard，andhisnosewasstraightandratherprominent。Perhapsthemouthwashisweakestfeature，fortherewasacertainshiftinessaboutit，alsothelipswerethickandslightlysensuous。SirRobertknewthis，andthereforehegrewamoustachetoveilthemsomewhat。Toacarefulobserverthegeneralimpressiongivenbythisfacewassuchasisleftbythesuddensightofawaxenmask。

“Howstrong！Howlifelike！“hewouldhavesaid，“butofcourseitisn’treal。Theremaybeamanbehind，ortheremaybewood，butthat’sonlyamask。“ManypeopleofperceptionhadfeltlikethisaboutSirRobertAylward，namely，thatunderthemaskofhispalecountenancedweltadifferentbeingwhomtheydidnotknoworappreciate。

Ifthesehadseenhimatthismomentoftheopeningofourstory，theymighthaveheldthatWisdomwasjustifiedofherchildren。Fornowinthesolitudeofhissplendidoffice，ofasuddenSirRobert’smaskseemedtofallfromhim。Hisfacebrokeuplikeicebeneathathaw。Herosefromhistableandbegantowalkupanddowntheroom。Hetalkedtohimselfaloud。

“GreatHeavens！“hemuttered，“whatagametohaveplayed，anditwillgothrough。Ibelievethatitwillgothrough。“

Hestoppedatthetable，switchedonanelectriclightandmadearapidcalculationonthebackofaletterwithabluepencil。

“Yes，“hesaid，“that’smyshare，amillionandseventeenthousandpoundsincash，andtwomillioninordinaryshareswhichcanbeworkedoffatadiscount——letussayanothersevenhundredandfiftythousand，pluswhatIhavegotalready——putthatatonlytwohundredandfiftythousandnet。Twomillionsinall，whichofcoursemayormaynotbeaddedto，probablynot，unlesstheordinariesboom，forI

don’tmeantospeculateanymore。That’stheendoftwentyyears’

work，RobertAylward。Andtothinkofit，eighteenmonthsago，althoughIseemedsorich，Iwasonthevergeofbankruptcy——theveryverge，notworthfivethousandpounds。Nowwhatdidthetrick？I

wonderwhatdidthetrick？“

Hewalkeddowntheroomandstoppedoppositetheancientmarble，staringatit——

“NotVenus，Ithink，“hesaid，withalaugh，“Venusnevermadeanymanrich。“Heturnedandretracedhisstepstotheotherendoftheroom，whichwasveiledinshadow。Hereuponasecondmarblepedestalstoodanobjectthatgleameddimlythroughthegloom。Itwasaboutteninchesorafoothigh，butinthatplacenothingmorecouldbeseenofit，exceptthatitwasyellowandhadthegeneralappearanceofatoad。ForsomereasonitseemedtoattractSirRobertAylward，forhehaltedtostareatit，thenstretchedouthishandandswitchedonanotherlamp，inthehardbrillianceofwhichthethinguponthepedestalsuddenlydeclareditself，leapingoutofthedarknessintolight。Itwasaterribleobject，amonstrosityofindeterminatesexandnature，butsurmountedbyawoman’sheadandfaceofextraordinary，ifdevilishloveliness，sunkbackbetweenhighbutgrotesquelysmallshoulders，liketothoseofalizard，sothatitglaredupwards。Theworkmanshipofthethingwasrudeyetstrangelypowerful。Whateverthereiscruel，whateverthereisdevilish，whateverthereisinhumaninthedarkplacesoftheworld，shoneoutofthejewelledeyeswhichweresetinthatyellowfemaleface，yellowbecauseitssubstancewasofgold，afacewhichseemednottobelongtotheembryoniclegsbeneath，forbodytherewasnone，buttofloatabovethem。Ahollow，life-sizedmaskwithtwotinyfrog-likelegs，thatwasthefashionofit。

“Youareanuglybrute，“mutteredSirRobert，contemplatingthiseffigy，“butalthoughIbelieveinnothinginheavenaboveorearthbelow，excepttheabysmalfollyoftheBritishpublic，IambotheredifIdon’tbelieveinyou。AtanyratefromthedaywhenVernonbroughtyouintomyoffice，myluckturned，andtojudgefromthesmileonyoursweetcountenance，Idon’tthinkitisdonewithyet。I

wonderwhatthosestonesareinyoureyes。Opals，Isuppose，fromthewaytheychangecolour。Theyshineuncommonlyto-day，Ineverrememberthemsobright。

Atthismomentaknockcameonthedoor。SirRobertturnedoffthelampandwalkedbacktothefireplace。

“Comein，“hesaid，andashespokeoncemorehispalefacegrewimpassiveandexpressionless。

Thedooropenedandaclerkentered，animposing-lookingclerkwithiron-greyhair，whoworeanirreproachablefrockcoatandpatentleatherboots。Advancingtohismaster，hestoodrespectfullysilent，waitingtobeaddressed。ForquitealongwhileSirRobertlookedoverhisheadasthoughhedidnotseehim；itwasawayofhis。Thenhiseyesrestedonthemandreamilyandheremarkedinhiscold，clearvoice:

“Idon’tthinkIrang，Jeffreys。“

“No，SirRobert，“answeredtheclerk，bowingasthoughhespoketoRoyalty，“butthereisalittlematteraboutthatarticlein/TheCynic/。“

“Pressbusiness，“saidSirRobert，liftinghiseyebrows；“youshouldknowbythistimethatIdonotattendtosuchdetails。SeeMr。

Champers-Haswell，orMajorVernon。“

“Theyarebothoutatthemoment，SirRobert。“

“Goon，then，Jeffreys，“repliedtheheadofthefirmwitharesignedsigh，“onlybebrief。Iamthinking。“

Theclerkbowedagain。

“The/Cynic/peoplehavejusttelephonedthroughaboutthatarticlewesentthem。Ithinkyousawit，sir，andyoumayrememberitbegins——“andhereadfromatypewrittencopyinhishandwhichwasheaded“SaharaLimited“:

“’Wearenowprivilegedtoannouncethatthismightyschemewhichwillturnadesertintoarollingseabearingthecommerceofnationsandcausethewasteplacesoftheearthtoteemwithpopulationandtoblossomliketherose，hasbeencompletedinitsnecessaryifdullfinancialdetailsandwillwithinafewdaysbesubmittedtoinvestorsamongwhomithasalreadycausedsomuchexcitement。Thesedetailswewilldealwithfullyinsucceedingarticles，andthereforenowneedonlypausetosaythatthebasisofcapitalizationstrikesusaswonderfullyadvantageoustothefortunatepublicwhoareaskedtoparticipateinitsvastprospectiveprosperity。Ourpresentobjectistospeakofitsnationalandimperialaspects——’“

SirRobertliftedhiseyesinremonstrance:

“Howmuchmoreofthatexceedinglydullandcommonplacepuffdoyouproposetoread，Jeffreys？“heasked。

“Nomore，SirRobert。Wearepaying/TheCynic/thirtyguineastoinsertthisarticle，andthepointisthattheysaythatiftheyhavetoputinthe’nationalandimperial’businesstheymusthavetwentymore。“

“Indeed，Jeffreys？Why？“

“Because，SirRobert——Iwilltellyou，asyoualwaysliketohearthetruth——theiradvertisement-editorisofopinionthatSaharaLimitedisanationalandimperialswindle。Hesaysthathewon’tdragthenationandtheempireintoitinaneditorialunderfiftyguineas。“

AfaintsmileflickeredonSirRobert’sface。

“Doeshe，indeed？“heasked。“Iwonderathismoderation。HadIbeeninhisplaceIshouldhaveaskedmore，forreallythestyleisalittleflamboyant。Well，wedon’twanttoquarrelwiththemjustnow——

feedthesharks。Butsurely，Jeffreys，youdidn’tcometodisturbmeaboutsuchatrifle？“

“Notaltogether，SirRobert。Thereissomethingmoreimportant。/TheDailyJudge/notonlydeclinestoputanyarticlewhatsoever，butrefusesouradvertisement，andstatesthatitmeanstocriticizetheprospectustrenchantly。“

“Ah！“saidhismasterafteramoment’sthought，“that/is/ratherserious，sincepeoplebelieveinthe/Judge/evenwhenitiswrong。

Offerthemtheadvertisementattreblerates。“

“Ithasbeendone，sir，andtheystillrefuse。“

SirRobertwalkedtothecorneroftheroomwheretheyellowobjectsquattedonitspedestal，andcontemplateditawhile，asamanoftenstudiesonethingwhenheisthinkingofanother。Itseemedtogivehimanidea，forhelookedoverhisshoulderandsaid:

“Thatwilldo，Jeffreys。WhenMajorVernoncomesin，givehimmycomplimentsandsaythatIshouldbeobligedbyawordortwowithhim。“

Theclerkbowedandwentasnoiselesslyashehadentered。