Part 14 (1/2)
”You'll take an even seven hundred dollars,” said Murray.
”But the interest!” cried the money-lender. ”Don't I get any interest?”
”Aha!” exclaimed Murray. ”I guessed it right, didn't I? That's just what you loaned. You see, others have hypothecated policies with you people, and I've learned something of the business. There are more peculiar deals tried with insurance policies than with any other form of security. But you don't get any interest, Shylock: you get your princ.i.p.al back, and you're lucky to get that.”
”It's robbery!” complained the money-lender.
”It's generosity,” said Murray. ”You ought to lose it all.”
”I won't pay it!” declared Mrs. Vincent, and Murray turned sharply to her.
”Mrs. Vincent,” he said, ”you will pay this sum to Shylock out of the policy, and you will pay all the bills, including the cost of the funeral, which I advanced. You will not do this as a matter of generosity, or even of justice, but from purely selfish motives. If you, being able to prevent it, permitted this scandal to come to light, you would be eternally disgraced: doors would be closed to you everywhere.
G.o.d knows it is bad enough as it is, but this would make it infinitely worse. Even where no real blame attaches to her, there is always criticism and contempt for the woman who lets another take her husband from her, and a repudiation of the expenses of his last illness or any other bills, when you are getting the insurance, would condemn you absolutely in the eyes of all people who knew the circ.u.mstances. For this reason, you are going to do what I say, and you are going to make the necessary arrangements now. For similar selfish reasons, Shylock is going to do what I say, and he is going to make the necessary arrangements now. If either of you balk at the terms, I'll drop the whole matter and let you fight it out, to your mutual trouble and loss.”
Neither dared take the risk, for each feared that, without Murray, the other would gain the advantage. Neither was in a position to defy the other, and Murray had forced concessions from each that the other could not. He was clearly master of the situation.
”Do you accept the terms?” he demanded. ”If not, get out!”
”It's brutal, outrageous!” declared the woman.
”A swindle!” exclaimed the man.
”That will do, Shylock,” cautioned Murray. ”There is nothing to be said except 'yes' or 'no' and only thirty seconds in which to say that. I've reached the limit of my patience.”
He took out his watch and began to count the seconds.
When they were gone Murray sent for Amy Bronson, the nurse.
”I was just coming to see you,” she explained when she arrived. ”I finally found a note hidden away among Albert's effects. It contained five one hundred-dollar bills and the scribbled line, 'I have tried to do more for you, but can not.'”
”I didn't see how he could have spent all the money,” mused Murray.
”Now I can pay the bills,” she said.
”No,” said Murray. ”A memorandum of all that he owed is to be sent to me. Mrs. Vincent will pay everything.”
”Mrs. Vincent!” cried the nurse. ”Impossible! I couldn't have so misjudged her.”
”I don't think you misjudged her,” returned Murray, ”but,”-whimsically,-”I'm a wonder at argument. You ought to hear me argue. Mrs. Vincent decided to take my view of the matter with the insurance.”
”But the five hundred dollars!” said Miss Bronson.
”Keep it,” said Murray. ”He intended it for you, and it is little enough. I'm only sorry that the ten-thousand-dollar policy is not for you, also, but it is one of the incidental hards.h.i.+ps that arise from an ordinarily wise provision of the law.”
The nurse's lip quivered and the tears came to her eyes.
”I was an entire stranger to you, Mr. Murray,” she said, ”but you have been very good to me when I most needed a friend. I-I don't know how I can-”