Things
might have been different if the restraining influence of Mr. Freddy
Parker could have made itself felt, but that gentleman was at home, his
lady being not very well. In the Commissioner's absence, Mr. Richards,
the respectable Vice-President, was making his voice heard. Sober or
not, he was certainly articulate and delighted with himself as,
stroking his beard placidly, he roared out above the crowd:
"I've no use for makeshifts. Honesty is a makeshift. A makeshift for
saving time. Whoever wants to save time is not fit for the society of
gentlemen."
"Hear, hear!"
"Call yourself a gentleman?" enquired another.
"Just a makeshift. You won't hear honesty talked about in the great
periods of the world's history. It's the small tradesman's invention,
is honesty. He hasn't the the brains to earn anything more than three
and a half per cent. That's why he is always in such a hurry to finish
his first little deal and get on with the next one. Else he'd starve.
Hence honesty. Three and a half per cent! Who's going to pick that up?
People who earn three hundred don't cackle about honesty.
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