Dupont was coming
to-night--Dupont who had profited by the crime, and had not spent his
profits, but had built upon them to further profit; for Dupont was
avaricious and prudent, and a born criminal. Dupont had never had any
compunctions or remorse, had never lost a night's sleep because of what
they two had done, instigated thereto by the other, who had paid them so
well for the dark thing.
The other was Henderley, the financier. He was worse perhaps than Dupont,
for he was in a different sphere of life, was rich beyond counting, and
had been early nurtured in quiet Christian surroundings. The spirit of
ambition, rivalry, and the methods of a degenerate and cruel finance had
seized him, mastered him; so that, under the cloak of power--as a
toreador hides the blade under the red cloth before his enemy the
toro--he held a sword of capital which did cruel and vicious things, at
last becoming criminal also. Henderley had incited and paid; the others,
Dupont and Lygon, had acted and received. Henderley had had no remorse,
none at any rate that weighed upon him; for he had got used to ruining
rivals, and seeing strong men go down, and those who had fought him come
to beg or borrow of him in the end.
Pages:
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442