“Very good, very good.  I think I can offer you both the land and the partner, and almost guarantee your success, if you will be guided by me.”

“I have come to you for advice,” said Orsino.  “I will follow it gratefully.  As for the success of the undertaking, I will assume the responsibility.”

“Yes.  That is better.  After all, everything is uncertain in such matters, and you would not like to feel that you were under an obligation to me.  On the other hand, as I told you, I am selfish and cautious.  I would rather not appear in the transaction.”

If any doubt as to Del Ferice’s honesty of purpose crossed Orsino’s mind at that moment, it was fully compensated by the fact that he himself distinctly preferred not to be openly associated with the banker.

“I quite agree with you,” he said.

“Very well.  Now for business.  Do you know that it is sometimes more profitable to take over a half-finished building, than to begin a new one?  Often, I assure you, for the returns are quicker and you get a great deal at half price.  Now, the man whom I recommend to you is a practical architect, and was employed by a certain baker to build a tenement building in one of the new quarters.  The baker dies, the house is unfinished, the heirs wish to sell it as it is—­there are at least a dozen of them—­and meanwhile the work is stopped.  My advice is this.  Buy this house, go into partnership with the unemployed architect, agreeing to give him a share of the profits, finish the building and sell it as soon as it is habitable.  In six months you will get a handsome return.”

“That sounds very tempting,” answered Orsino, “but it would need more capital than I have.”

“Not at all, not at all.  It is a mere question of taking over a mortgage and paying stamp duty.”

“And how about the difference in ready money, which ought to go to the present owners?”

“I see that you are already beginning to understand the principles of business,” said Del Ferice, with an encouraging smile.  “But in this case the owners are glad to get rid of the house on any terms by which they lose nothing, for they are in mortal fear of being ruined by it, as they probably will be if they hold on to it.”

“Then why should I not lose, if I take it?”

“That is just the difference.  The heirs are a number of incapable persons of the lower class, who do not understand these matters.  If they attempted to go on they would soon find themselves entangled in the greatest difficulties.  They would sink where you will almost certainly swim.”

Orsino was silent for a moment.  There was something despicable, to his thinking, in profiting by the loss of a wretched baker’s heirs.

“It seems to me,” he said presently, “that if I succeed in this, I ought to give a share of the profits to the present owners.”

Not a muscle of Del Ferice’s face moved, but his dull eyes looked curiously at Orsino’s young face.