Mr. Longworth mused for a few moments on what the young man had told him.

'If what you say is exactly true, there is no doubt William has been
guilty of a piece of very sharp practice.'

'Sharp practice!' cried the other. 'You might as well call robbery sharp
practice!'

'My dear sir, I have listened to you; now I ask you to listen to me. If,
as I say, what you have stated is true, my nephew has done something
which I think an honourable man would not do; but as to that I cannot
judge until I hear his side of the story. It may put a different
complexion on the matter, and I have no doubt it will; but even granting
your version is true in every particular, what have I to do with it? I
am not responsible for my nephew's actions. He has entered into a
business connection, it seems, with two young men, and has outwitted
them. That is probably what the world would say about it. Perhaps, as
you say, he has been guilty of something worse, and has cheated his
partners. But even admitting everything to be true, I do not see how I
am responsible in any way.'

'Legally, you are not; morally, I think you are.'

'Why?'

'If he were your son----'

'But he is not my son; he is my nephew.'