'Are you going to see Melmotte, sir?' he asked somewhat abruptly.
'Yes;--I'm to be with him to-morrow, and he is to introduce me to the Board.'
'You're going in for that, are you, sir? Do they pay anything?'
'I believe not.'
'Nidderdale and young Carbury belong to it. It's a sort of Beargarden affair.'
'A bear-garden affair, Adolphus. How so?'
'I mean the club. We had them all there for dinner one day, and a jolly dinner we gave them. Miles Grendall and old Alfred belong to it. I don't think they'd go in for it, if there was no money going. I'd make them fork out something if I took the trouble of going all that way.'
'I think that perhaps, Adolphus, you hardly understand these things.'
'No, I don't. I don't understand much about business, I know. What I want to understand is, when Melmotte is going to pay up this money.'
'I suppose he'll arrange it with the banks,' said the father.
'I beg that he won't arrange my money with the banks, sir. You'd better tell him not. A cheque upon his bank which I can pay in to mine is about the best thing going. You'll be in the city to-morrow, and you'd better tell him. If you don't like, you know, I'll get Squercum to do it.' Mr Squercum was a lawyer whom Dolly had employed of late years much to the annoyance of his parent. Mr Squercum's name was odious to Mr Longestaffe.
'I beg you'll do nothing of the kind. It will be very foolish if you do;--perhaps ruinous.'
'Then he'd better pay up, like anybody else,' said Dolly as he left the room. The father knew the son, and was quite sure that Squercum would have his finger in the pie unless the money were paid quickly. When Dolly had taken an idea into his head, no power on earth,--no power at least of which the father could avail himself,--would turn him.
On that same day Melmotte received two visits in the city from two of his fellow directors. At the time he was very busy. Though his electioneering speeches were neither long nor pithy, still he had to think of them beforehand. Members of his Committee were always trying to see him. Orders as to the dinner and the preparation of the house could not be given by Lord Alfred without some reference to him. And then those gigantic commercial affairs which were enumerated in the last chapter could not be adjusted without much labour on his part. His hands were not empty, but still he saw each of these young men,-- for a few minutes. 'My dear young friend, what can I do for you?' he said to Sir Felix, not sitting down, so that Sir Felix also should remain standing.