Old Sharon laughed more ferociously than ever, and hobbled round the
table in a great hurry to the place at which Moody was sitting. He laid
one hand on the steward's shoulder, and pointed derisively with the
other to Mr. Troy.

"I say, Mr. Silent-man! Bet you five pounds I never hear of that lawyer
again!"

Silently attentive all through the interview (except when he was
answering questions), Moody only replied in the fewest words. "I don't
bet," was all he said. He showed no resentment at Sharon's familiarity,
and he appeared to find no amusement in Sharon's extraordinary talk.
The old vagabond seemed actually to produce a serious impression on him!
When Mr. Troy set the example of rising to go, he still kept his seat,
and looked at the lawyer as if he regretted leaving the atmosphere of
tobacco smoke reeking in the dirty room.

"Have you anything to say before we go?" Mr. Troy asked.

Moody rose slowly and looked at Old Sharon. "Not just now, sir," he
replied, looking away again, after a moment's reflection.

Old Sharon interpreted Moody's look and Moody's reply from his own
peculiar point of view. He suddenly drew the steward away into a corner
of the room.

"I say!" he began, in a whisper. "Upon your solemn word of honor, you
know--are you as rich as the lawyer there?"

"Certainly not."