“Idon’tknowthatIagreewithyou，“answeredSirRobert。“Iamnotsurethatinthelongrunweshouldnotdobetterforalittlemoreofthearticle。Formypart，althoughitwillnothurtuspublicly，forthethingwillneverbenoticed，IamsorrythatwehavelostVernon，verysorryindeed。Idon’tthinkhimafool，andawkwardastheymaybe，Irespecthisqualities。“
“SodoI，sodoI，“answeredMr。Haswell，“andofcoursewehaveactedagainsthisadvicethroughout，whichmusthavebeenannoyingtohim。
Theschemeashesuggesteditwasafairbusinesspropositionthatmighthavepaidtenpercent。onasmallcapital，butwhatisthegoodoftenpercent。toyouandme？Wewantmillionsandwearegoingtogetthem。Well，heiscomingtoTheCourtto-morrow，andperhapsafterallweshallbeabletoarrangematters。I’llgiveBarbaraahint；shehasgreatinfluencewithhim，andyoumightdothesame，Aylward。“
“MissChampershasgreatinfluencewitheveryonewhoisfortunateenoughtoknowher，“answeredSirRobertcourteously。“Butevenifshechoosestouseit，Idoubtifitwillavailinthiscase。Vernonhasbeenmakinguphismindforalongwhile。Ihavewatchedhimandamsureofthat。To-nighthedeterminedtotaketheplungeandIdonotthinkthatweshallseeanymoreofhiminthisoffice。Haswell，“headdedwithsuddenenergy，“Itellyouthatoflateourluckhasbeentoogoodtolast。Theboom，therealboom，cameinwithVernon，andwithVernonIthinkthatitwillgo。“
“Atanyrateitmustleavesomethingprettysubstantialbehinditthistime，Aylward，myfriend。Whateverhappens，withinaweekweshallberich，reallyrichforlife。“
“Forlife，Haswell，yes，forlife。Butwhatislife？Abubblethatanypinmayprick。Oh！Iknowthatyoudonotlikethesubject，butitisaswelltolookitinthefacesometimes。I’mnochurch-goer，butifI
rememberrightweweretaughttopraythegoodLordtodeliverusespecially’inalltimesofourwealth，’whichisfollowedbysomethingabouttribulationandsuddendeath，forwhentheywrotethatprayerthewheelofhumanfortunewentroundjustasitdoesto-day。
There，let’sgetoutofthisbeforeIgrowsuperstitious，asmenwhobelieveinnothingsometimesdo，becauseafteralltheymustbelieveinsomething，Isuppose。Gotyourhatandcoat？SohaveI，comeon，“
andheswitchedoffthelight，sothattheroomwasleftindarknessexceptforthefaintglimmeringofthefire。
Hispartnergrumbledaudibly，forinturninghehadknockedhishandagainstthedesk。
“Leavememyonlyeconomy，Haswell，“heansweredwithahardlittlelaugh。“ElectricityisstrengthandIhatetoseestrengthburningtowaste。Whydoyoumind？“hewentonashesteppedtowardsthedoor。
“Isitthecontrast？Inalltimesofourwealth，inalltimesofourtribulation，fromsicknessandfromsuddendeath——“
“GoodLorddeliverus，“chimedinMr。Haswellinashakingvoicebehindhim。“Whatthedevil’sthat？“
SirRobertlookedroundandsaw，orthoughtthathesaw，somethingverystrange。Fromthepillaronwhichitstoodthegoldenfetishwithawoman’sface，appearedtohavefloated。Thefirelightshoweditglidingtowardsthemacross，butafewinchesabovethefloorofthegreatroom。Itcameveryslowly，butitcame。Nowitreachedthemandpaused，andnowitroseintotheairuntilitattainedtheheightofMr。Champers-Haswellandstayedthere，staringintohisfaceandnotahand’sbreadthaway，justasthoughitwerearealwomanglaringathim。
Heutteredasound，halfwhistleandhalfgroan，andfellback，asitchancedontoamorocco-coveredseatbehindhim。Foramomentortwothegleaming，goldenmaskfloatedintheair。Thenitturnedverydeliberately，rosealittleway，andmovingsidelongtowhereSirRobertstood，hunginfrontof/his/face。
PresentlyAylwardstaggeredtothemantelpieceandbegantofumblefortheswitch；inthesilencehisnailsscratchingatthepanellingmadeasoundliketothatofagnawingmouse。Hefounditatlast，andnextinstanttheofficebrokeintoablazeoflight，showingMr。Haswell，hisrubicundfacequitepale，hishatandumbrellaonthefloor，gaspinglikeadyingmanuponthecouch，andSirRoberthimselfclingingtothemantel-shelfasapersonmightdowhohadreceivedamortalwound，whilethegoldenfetishreposedcalmlyonitspillar，toallappearanceasimmovableandundisturbedastheantiqueVenuswhichmatcheditattheotherendoftheroom。Forawhiletherewassilence。ThenSirRobert，recoveringhimself，asked:
“Didyounoticeanythingunusualjustnow，Haswell？“
“Yes，“whisperedhispartner。“IthoughtthathideousAfricanthingwhichVernonbroughthere，cameslidingacrossthefloorandstaredintomyfacewithitsglitteringeyes，andintheeyes——“
“Well，whatwasintheeyes？“
“Ican’tremember。ItwasakindofpictureandthemeaningofitwasSuddenDeath——ohLord！SuddenDeath。Tellmeitwasafancybredofthatill-omenedtalkofyours？“
“Ican’ttellyouanythingofthesort，“answeredAylwardinahollowvoice，“forIsawsomethingalso。“
“What？“askedhispartner。
“Deaththatwasn’tsudden，andotherthings。“
AgainthesilencefelltillitwasbrokenbyAylward。
“Come，“hesaid，“wehavebeenover-working——toomuchstrain，andnowthereaction。Keepthisrubbishtoyourself，ortheywilllockyouupinanasylum。“
“Certainly，Aylward，certainly。Butcan’tyougetridofthatbeastlyimage？“
“Notonanyaccount，Haswell，evenifithauntsusallday。HereitshallstopuntiltheSaharasarefloatedonMonday，ifIhavetolockitinthestrongroomandthrowthekeysintotheThames。AfterwardsVernoncantakeit，ashehasarighttodo，andIamsurethatwithitwillgoourluck。“
“Thenthesoonerourluckgoes，thebetter，“repliedHaswell，withamereghostofhisformerwhistle。“Lifeisbetterthanluck，and——
Aylward，thatYellowGodyouaresofondofmeanstomurderus。Wearebeingfattedforthesacrifice，thatisall。Iremembernow，thatwasoneofthethingsIsawwritteninitseyes！“
TheCourt，Mr。Champers-Haswell’splace，wasaveryfinehouseindeed，ofasort。Thatis，itcontainedtwenty-ninebedrooms，eachofthemwithabathroomattached，alargenumberofsitting-rooms，amplegarages，stables，andoffices，thewholesurroundedbyseveralacresofnewly-plantedgardens。Incidentallyitmaybementionedthatitwasbuiltinthemostatrocioustasteandlookedlikeasuburbanvillaseenthroughamagnifyingglass。
ItwasinthismatteroftastethatitdifferedfromSirRobertAylward’shome，OldHall，afewmilesaway。Notthatthiswasoldeither，fortheoriginalhousehadfallendownorbeenburntahundredyearsbefore。ButSirRobert，beinggiftedwithartisticperception，hadrearedupinplaceofitasmallerbutreallybeautifuldwellingofsoftgreystone，longandlow，andbuiltintheTudorstylewithmanygables。
Thishouse，charmingasitwas，couldnotofcoursecomparewithYarleys，theancientseatoftheVernonsinthesameneighbourhood。
YarleyswaspureElizabethan，althoughitcontainedanoak-roofedhallwhichwassaidtodatebacktothetimeofKingJohn，aremnantofaformerhouse。TherewasnoelectriclightorothermodernconvenienceatYarleys，yetitwasaplacethateveryonewenttoseebecauseofitsexceedingbeautyanditshistoricalassociations。Themoatbywhichitwassurrounded，thegrasscourtwithin，foritwasbuiltonthreesidesofasquare，themullionedwindows，thetoweredgatewayofredbrick，thelow-panelledroomshungwiththeportraitsofdepartedVernons，theslopingparkandthesplendidoaksthatstoodabout，singlyoringroups，wereallofthemperfectintheirway。ItwasoneofthemostlovelyofEnglishhomes，andoddlyenoughitsneglectedgardensandtheairofdecaythatpervadedit，addedtoratherthandecreaseditscharm。
ButitiswithTheCourtthatwehavetodoatpresent，notwithYarleys。Mr。Champers-Haswellhadaweek-endparty。Thereweretenguests，allmen，andwiththeexceptionofAlan，whoitwillberememberedwasoneofthem，allrichandinbusiness。TheyincludedtwoFrenchbankersandthreeJews，everyoneapropoftheoriginalSaharaSyndicateanddeeplyinterestedintheforthcomingflotation。
Todescribethemisunnecessary，fortheyhavenopartinourstory，beingonlyfinanciersofacertainclass，remarkablefortherichestheyhadacquiredbymeansthatforthemostpartwouldnotbearexamination。Thericheswereevidentenough。Eversincethemorningtheownersofthiswealthhadarrivedbyonesortwosintheircostlymotorcars，attendedbysmartchauffeursandvalets。Theirfurcoats，theirjewelledstudsandrings，somethingintheirveryfacessuggestedmoney，whichindeedwasthebondthatbroughtandheldthemtogether。
Alandidnotcomeuntilitwastimetodressfordinner，forheknewthatBarbarawouldnotappearbeforethatmeal，anditwashersocietyhesought，notthatofhishostorfellowguests。Accompaniedbyhisnegroservant，Jeekie，forinahouselikethisitwasnecessarytohavesomeonetowaituponhim，hedroveoverfromYarleys，adistanceoftenmiles，arrivingabouteighto’clock。
“Mr。Haswellasgoneuptodress，Major，andsohavetheothergentlemen，“saidtheheadbutler，Mr。Smith，“butMissChamperstoldmetogiveyouthisnoteandtosaythatdinnerisathalf-pasteight。“
Alantookthenoteandaskedtobeshowntohisroom。Oncethere，althoughhehadonlyfiveandtwentyminutes，heopenediteagerly，whileJeekieunpackedhisbag。
“DearAlan，“itran:“Don’tbelatefordinner，orImaynotbeabletokeepaplacenexttome。OfcourseSirRoberttakesmein。
