The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 41: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

32 THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. the past, had such arrangement been possible. The millionaire felt that he sold himself too cheably ; his regret should have been that he had sold himself at all. Character was to him a thing to be valued only at its worth; like everything else, with his commercial ideas, he regarded it as a marketable commodity. “Ah, Gridley, is that you?” said his employer, trying to look unembarrassed. ‘© Even I, sir.” * Well, what is it you require? Come in—shut the door.” In his nervousness he had not observed how care- fully the old man closed it. “‘T have a question to ask,” replied the clerk. “‘ A question,” repeated Grindem, breathing freely ; “why don’t you ask it, then? what is the use of fid- getting there? Remember this is our foreign corre- spondence day, and that Mr. Small will be coming in a _ few minutes with the letters.” “‘ Mr. Small can wait for once.” “ Well, man, the question—the question?’ impa-. tiently demanded the head of the firm. ‘* Have you a conscience 2?” ““ Conscience,” faltered Gilbert, his florid, rubicund countenance changing to a sickly, wax-like complexion; “conscience, of course I have a conscience—every gentleman has one.”’ “‘T know,” continued the clerk, “that the question is a foolish one—an old man’s babble—a childish hope COniiclooecl SS (SO