'At all
events, it's a good thing, and if you go in with me, we'll clear a
good few thousand out of it.'
'Come and see me to-morrow morning,' said the wiry man, also rising.
'I think I'll stand in.'
Barraclough rubbed his hands gleefully, and then slipping his arm in
that of his companion they left the balcony and went back to the
theatre.
Vandeloup felt every nerve in his body tingling. Here was a chance
to make money. If he only had a few hundreds he could buy up all the
Magpie shares he could get and reap the benefit of the rise. Five
hundred pounds! If he could obtain that sum he could buy two
thousand five hundred shares, and if they went to three pounds, he
could clear nearly eight thousand. What an idea! It was ripe fruit
tumbling off the tree without the trouble of plucking it. But five
hundred pounds! He had not as many pence, and he did not know where
to get it. If he could only borrow it from someone--but then he
could offer no security. A sense of his own helplessness came on him
as he saw this golden tide flowing past his door, and yet was unable
to take advantage of it. Five hundred pounds! The sum kept buzzing
in his head like a swarm of bees, and he threw himself down again in
his chair to try and think where he could get it.
A noise disturbed him, and he saw that the opera was over, and a
crowd of gentlemen were thronging into the bar.
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