'Not a good day for that--too hot! Anything else?'

'No,' said Mr. Polycarp.

'Ah!... Well, and what is your clients' estimate?'

'Naturally, I cannot pretend--'

'Listen, Mr. Polycarp,' said Hugo, interrupting: 'I will be open with
you.'

The lawyer nodded, appreciatively benign. As usual, he kept his thoughts
to himself, but he had the air of adding Hugo to the vast collection of
human curiosities which he had made during a prolonged professional
career.

'My net trading profits last year were £106,000. You are surprised?'

'Somewhat.'

'You expected a higher figure?'

'We did.'

'I knew it. And the figure might be higher if I chose. Only I do things
in rather a royal way, you see. I pay my staff five hundred a week more
than I need. And I allow myself to be cheated.' He laughed suddenly.
'Costume department, for instance. I send charming costumes out on
approval, and fetch them back in two days. And the pretty girls who have
taken off the tickets, and worn the garments, and carefully restored the