"I am sorry," I said, "that you should have had the trouble of coming to
me. Mr. Luker is quite mistaken in sending you here. I am trusted, like
other men in my profession, with money to lend. But I never lend it to
strangers, and I never lend it on such a security as you have produced."
Far from attempting, as other people would have done, to induce me to
relax my own rules, the Indian only made me another bow, and wrapped up
his box in its two coverings without a word of protest. He rose--this
admirable assassin rose to go, the moment I had answered him!
"Will your condescension towards a stranger, excuse my asking one
question," he said, "before I take my leave?"
I bowed on my side. Only one question at parting! The average in my
experience was fifty.
"Supposing, sir, it had been possible (and customary) for you to lend me
the money," he said, "in what space of time would it have been possible
(and customary) for me to pay it back?"
"According to the usual course pursued in this country," I answered,
"you would have been entitled to pay the money back (if you liked) in
one year's time from the date at which it was first advanced to you.
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