‘Melmotte does all that himself.’

’You could explain, you know, that you are a little short in your own payments to me.’  This Sir Felix said, thinking it to be a delicate mode of introducing his claim upon the Secretary.

‘That’s private,’ said Miles frowning.

’Of course it’s private; but if you would pay me the money I could buy the shares with it though they are public.’

‘I don’t think we could mix the two things together, Carbury.’

‘You can’t help me?’

‘Not in that way.’

‘Then, when the deuce will you pay me what you owe me?’ Sir Felix was driven to this plain expression of his demand by the impassibility of his debtor.  Here was a man who did...