"Father, George Eltham and I are thinking of going into business
together."
"Whatever is ta saying? Business? What business?"
"Banking."
"Now, then, be quiet, will ta? Such nonsense!"
"I am in dead earnest, father. I cannot waste my life any longer."
"Who asks thee to waste thy life? Hev I iver grudged thee any thing
to make it happy? Thou hes hed t' best o' educations. If ta wants to
travel, there's letters o' credit waiting for thee. If ta wants work,
I've told thee there's acres and acres o' wheat on the Hallam marshes,
if they were only drained. I'll find ta money, if ta wants work."
"Father, I could not put gold in a marsh, and then sit down and wait
for the wheat to grow; and all the wheat on Hallam, unless it bore
golden ears, would not satisfy me. George and I are going into Sir
Thomas Harrington's for a few months. Lord Eltham has spoken to him.
Then George is to marry Selina Digby. She has fifty thousand pounds;
and we are going to begin business."
"Wi' fifty thousand pounds o' Miss Digby's money! It's t' meanest
scheme I iver heard tell on! I'm fair shamed o' thee!"
"I must put into the firm fifty thousand pounds also; and I want to
speak to you about it."
"For sure! How does ta think to get it out o' me now?"
"I could get Jews to advance it on my inheritance, but I would do
nothing so mean and foolish as that.
Pages:
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80