"You worthless, idle young scoundrel," he bellowed. "I put you in this
office here that you may learn respectable and orderly habits and in
due course succeed to a very comfortable business. What happens? You
don't take a ha'porth of interest in bullion-broking, a subject of
which I believe you to remain profoundly ignorant. You don't even
spend your money, or rather my money, upon any gentleman-like vice,
such as horse-racing, or cards, or even--well, never mind. No, you
take to flowers, miserable, beastly flowers, things that a cow eats
and clerks grow in back gardens."
"An ancient and Arcadian taste. Adam is supposed to have lived in a
garden," I ventured to interpolate.
"Perhaps you would ask your friend with the stubbly hair to remain
quiet," snorted Sir Alexander. "I was about to add, although for the
sake of my name I meet your debts, that I have had enough of this kind
of thing. I disinherit you, or will do if I live till 4 p.m. when the
lawyer's office shuts, for thank God! there are no entailed estates,
and I dismiss you from the firm.
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