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would be security enough that I should pay you。 You could draw my
pension； and repay yourselves at the rate； say； of L500 a year； taking your
five per cent interest as well。〃
〃What interest？〃
〃Five per cent per annum。
Mr。 Metaxa laughed。 〃Per annum！〃 he said。 〃Five per cent a
month。〃
〃A month！ That would be sixty per cent a year。〃
〃Precisely。〃
〃But that is monstrous。〃
〃I don't ask gentlemen to come to me。 They come of their own free
will。 Those are my terms； and they can take it or leave it。〃
〃Then I shall leave it。〃 The Admiral rose angrily from his chair。
〃But one moment； sir。 Just sit down and we shall chat the matter over。
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Yours is a rather unusual case and we may find some other way of doing
what you wish。 Of course the security which you offer is no security at
all； and no sane man would advance five thousand pennies on it。〃
〃No security？ Why not； sir？〃
〃You might die to…morrow。 You are not a young man。 What age are
you？〃
〃Sixty…three。〃
Mr。 Metaxa turned over a long column of figures。 〃Here is an
actuary's table；〃 said he。 〃At your time of life the average expectancy of
life is only a few years even in a well…preserved man。〃
〃Do you mean to insinuate that I am not a well…preserved man？〃
〃Well； Admiral； it is a trying life at sea。 Sailors in their younger days
are gay dogs； and take it out of themselves。 Then when they grow older
thy are still hard at it； and have no chance of rest or peace。 I do not think
a sailor's life a good one。〃
〃I'll tell you what； sir；〃 said the Admiral hotly。 〃If you have two pairs
of gloves I'll undertake to knock you out under three rounds。 Or I'll race
you from here to St。 Paul's； and my friend here will see fair。 I'll let you
see whether I am an old man or not。〃
〃This is beside the question；〃 said the moneylender with a deprecatory
shrug。 〃The point is that if you died to…morrow where would be the
security then？〃
〃I could insure my life； and make the policy over to you。〃
〃Your premiums for such a sum； if any office would have you； which I
very much doubt； would come to close on five hundred a year。 That
would hardly suit your book。〃
〃Well； sir； what do you intend to propose？〃 asked the Admiral。
〃I might； to accommodate you； work it in another way。 I should send
for a medical man； and have an opinion upon your life。 Then I might see
what could be done。〃
〃That is quite fair。 I have no objection to that。〃
〃There is a very clever doctor in the street here。 Proudie is his name。
John； go and fetch Doctor Proudie。〃 The youth was dispatched upon his
errand； while Mr。 Metaxa sat at his desk； trimming his nails； and shooting
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out little comments upon the weather。 Presently feet were heard upon the
stairs； the moneylender hurried out； there was a sound of whispering； and
he returned with a large； fat； greasy…looking man； clad in a much worn
frock…coat； and a very dilapidated top hat。
〃Doctor Proudie； gentlemen；〃 said Mr。 Metaxa。
The doctor bowed； smiled； whipped off his hat； and produced his
stethoscope from its interior with the air of a conjurer upon the stage。
〃Which of these gentlemen am I to examine？〃 he asked； blinking from one
to the other of them。 〃Ah； it is you！ Only your waistcoat！ You need
not undo your collar。 Thank you！ A full breath！ Thank you！ Ninety…
nine！ Thank you！ Now hold your breath for a moment。 Oh； dear； dear；
what is this I hear？〃
〃What is it then？〃 asked the Admiral coolly。
〃Tut！ tut！ This is a great pity。 Have you had rheumatic fever？〃
〃Never。〃
〃You have had some serious illness？〃
〃Never。〃
〃Ah； you are an admiral。 You have been abroad； tropics； malaria；
agueI know。〃
〃I have never had a day's illness。〃
〃Not to your knowledge； but you have inhaled unhealthy air； and it has
left its effect。 You have an organic murmurslight but distinct。〃
〃Is it dangerous？〃
〃It might at anytime become so。 You should not take violent
exercise。〃
〃Oh； indeed。 It would hurt me to run a half mile？〃
〃It would be very dangerous。〃
〃And a mile？〃
〃Would be almost certainly fatal。〃
〃Then there is nothing else the matter？〃
〃No。 But if the heart is weak； then everything is weak； and the life is
not a sound one。〃
〃You see； Admiral；〃 remarked Mr。 Metaxa； as the doctor secreted his
stethoscope once more in his hat； 〃my remarks were not entirely uncalled
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for。 I am sorry that the doctor's opinion is not more favorable； but this is
a matter of business； and certain obvious precautions must be taken。〃
〃Of course。 Then the matter is at an end。〃
〃Well； we might even now do business。 I am most anxious to be of
use to you。 How long do you think； doctor； that this gentleman will in all
probability live？〃
〃Well； well； it's rather a delicate question to answer；〃 said Dr。 Proudie；
with a show of embarrassment。
〃Not a bit； sir。 Out with it！ I have faced death too often to flinch
from it now； though I saw it as near me as you are。〃
〃Well； well； we must go by averages of course。 Shall we say two
years？ I should think that you have a full two years before you。〃
〃In two years your pension would bring you in L1；600。 Now I will
do my very best for you； Admiral！ I will advance you L2；000； and you
can make over to me your pension for your life。 It is pure speculation on
my part。 If you die to…morrow I lose my money。 If the doctor's
prophecy is correct I shall still be out of pocket。 If you live a little longer；
then I may see my money again。 It is the very best I can do for you。〃
〃Then you wish to buy my pension？〃
〃Yes； for two thousand down。〃
〃And if I live for twenty years？〃
〃Oh； in that case of course my speculation would be more successful。
But you have heard the doctor's opinion。〃
〃Would you advance the money instantly？〃
〃You should have a thousand at once。 The other thousand I should
expect you to take in furniture。〃
〃In furniture？〃
〃Yes； Admiral。 We shall do you a beautiful houseful at that sum。 It
is the custom of my clients to take half in furniture。〃
The Admiral sat in dire perplexity。 He had come out to get money；
and to go back without any； to be powerless to help when his boy needed
every shilling to save him from disaster； that would be very bitter to him。
On the other hand； it was so much that he surrendered； and so little that he
received。 Little； and yet something。 Would it not be better than going
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back empty…handed？ He saw the yellow backed cheque…book upon the
table。 The moneylender opened it and dipped his pen into the ink。
〃Shall I fill it up？〃 said he。
〃I think； Admiral；〃 remarked Westmacott； 〃that we had better have a
little walk and some luncheon before we settle this matter。〃
〃Oh； we may as well do it at once。 It would be absurd to postpone it
now；〃 Metaxa spoke with some heat； and his eyes glinted angrily from
between his narrow lids at the imperturbable Charles。 The Admiral was
simple in money matters； but he had seen much of men and had learned to
read them。 He saw that venomous glance； and saw too that intense
eagerness was peeping out from beneath the careless air which the agent
had assumed。
〃You're quite right； Westmacott；〃 said he。 〃We'll have a little walk
before we settle it。〃
〃But I may not be here this afternoon。〃
〃Then we must choose another day。〃
〃But why not settle it now？〃