From these,
to my despair, he went on to more intricate matters: to the approximate
expenses of construction per mile; to the estimates sent in by
different contractors; to the probable traffic returns of the new line;
to the provisional clauses of the new Act as enumerated in Schedule D
of the company's last half-yearly report; and so on, and on, and on,
till my head ached, and my attention flagged, and my eyes kept closing
in spite of every effort that I made to keep them open. At length I
was roused by these words:--
"Seventy-five thousand pounds, cash down."
"Seventy-five thousand pounds, cash down," I repeated, in the
liveliest tone I could assume. "That is a heavy sum."
"A heavy sum to carry here," replied Mr. Dwerrihouse, pointing
significantly to his breast-pocket; "but a mere fraction of what we
shall ultimately have to pay."
"You do not mean to say that you have seventy-five thousand pounds at
this moment upon your person?" I exclaimed.
"My good sir, have I not been telling you so for the last half-hour?"
said Mr.
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