It isn't likely I'd ask you to do a cowardly thing."
"You don't understand what a wretched scrape I'm in--"
"I don't yet; but you're going to tell me--"
"Philip, I can't--I simply cannot. It's so contemptible--and you warned
me--and I owe you already so much--"
"You owe me a little money," observed Selwyn with a careless smile, "and
you've a lifetime to pay it in. What is the trouble now; do you need
more? I haven't an awful lot, old fellow--worse luck!--but what I have
is at your call--as you know perfectly well. Is that all that is
worrying you?"
"No--not all. I--Neergard has lent me money--done things--placed me
under obligations. . . . I liked him, you know; I trusted him. . . .
People he desired to know I made him known to. He was a--a trifle
peremptory at times--as though my obligations to him left me no choice
but to take him to such people as he desired to meet. . . . We--we had
trouble--recently."
"What sort?"
"Personal. I felt--began to feel--the pressure on me.
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