“That’ju，George？”heusedtosay。“Comein。Here’sathing。
　　Tellhim——Mister——overagain。Haveadrink，George？No！Wiseman！Liss’n。”
　　Iwasalwaysreadytolisten。AllsortsoffinancialmarvelscameoutoftheHardingham，moreparticularlyduringmyuncle’slastgreatflurry，buttheywerenothingtotheprojectsthatpassedin。Itwasthelittlebrownandgoldroomhesatinusually。HehadhaditredecoratedbyBordinglyandhalfadozenSussexpicturesbyWebsterhungaboutit。Latterlyheworeavelveteenjacketofagolden-browncolourinthisapartmentthatIthinkover-emphasiseditsestheticintention，andhealsoaddedsomegrossChinesebronzes。
　　Hewas，onthewhole，averyhappymanthroughoutallthatwildlyenterprisingtime。Hemadeand，asIshalltellinitsplace，spentgreatsumsofmoney。Hewasconstantlyinviolentmotion，constantlystimulatedmentallyandphysicallyandrarelytired。
　　Abouthimwasanatmosphereofimmensedeferencemuchofhiswakinglifewastriumphalandallhisdreams。Idoubtifhehadanydissatisfactionwithhimselfatalluntilthecrashborehimdown。Thingsmusthavegoneveryrapidlywithhim。Ithinkhemusthavebeenveryhappy。
　　AsIsitherewritingaboutallthesethings，jerkingdownnotesandthrowingthemasideinmyattempttogivesomeliteraryformtothetaleofourpromotions，themarvelofitallcomestomeasifitcameforthefirsttimethesupremeunreasonofit。AttheclimaxofhisBoom，myuncleatthemostsparingestimatemusthavepossessedinsubstanceandcreditabouttwomillionpounds’-worthofpropertytosetoffagainsthisvaguecolossalliabilities，andfromfirsttolasthemusthavehadacontrollinginfluenceinthedirectionofnearlythirtymillions。
　　Thisirrationalmuddleofacommunityinwhichwelivegavehimthat，paidhimatthatrateforsittinginaroomandschemingandtellingitlies。Forhecreatednothing，heinventednothing，heeconomisednothing。Icannotclaimthatasingleoneofthegreatbusinessesweorganisedaddedanyrealvaluetohumanlifeatall。SeverallikeTono-Bungaywereunmitigatedfraudsbyanyhoneststandard，thegivingofnothingcoatedinadvertisementsformoney。AndthethingstheHardinghamgaveout，Irepeat，werenothingtothethingsthatcamein。Ithinkofthelongprocessionofpeoplewhosatdownbeforeusandpropoundedthisandthat。Nowitwasadeviceforsellingbreadunderafancynameandsoescapingthelawsastoweight——thiswasafterwardsfloatedastheDecorticatedHealth-BreadCompanyandbumpedagainstthelaw——nowitwasanewschemeforstillmorestridentadvertisement，nowitwasastoryofunsuspecteddepositsofminerals，nowacheapandnastysubstituteforthisorthatcommonnecessity，nowthetreacheryofatoowell-informedemployee，anxioustobecomeourpartner。Itwasallputtoustentatively，persuasively。Sometimesonehadalargepinkblusterouspersontryingtocarryusoffourfeetbyhispseudo-boyishfrankness，nowsomedyspepticallyyellowwhisperer，nowsomeearnest，speciallydressedyouthwithaneye-glassandabuttonhole，nowsomehomely-speaking，shrewdManchestermanorsomeScotchmaneagertobeveryclearandfull。
　　Manycameincouplesortrios，oftenintowofanexplanatorysolicitor。Somewerewhiteandearnest，someflusteredbeyondmeasureattheiropportunity。Someofthembeggedandprayedtobetakenup。Myunclechosewhathewantedandlefttherest。
　　Hebecameveryautocratictotheseapplicants。
　　Hefelthecouldmakethem，andtheyfeltsotoo。Hehadbuttosay“No！”andtheyfadedoutofexistence。Hehadbecomeasortofvortextowhichwealthflowedofitsownaccord。Hispossessionsincreasedbyheaps；hisshares，hisleaseholdsandmortgagesanddebentures。
　　Behindhisfirst-linethingshefounditnecessaryatlast，andsanctionedbyalltheprecincts，tosetupthreegeneraltradingcompanies，theLondonandAfricanInvestmentCompany，theBritishTraders’LoanCompany，andBusinessOrganisationsLimited。ThiswasintheculminatingtimewhenIhadleasttodowithaffairs。
　　Idon’tsaythatwithanydesiretoexculpatemyself；IadmitI
　　wasadirectorofallthree，andIwillconfessIwaswillfullyincuriousinthatcapacity。Eachofthesecompaniesendeditsfinancialyearsolventbysellinggreatholdingsofsharestooneorotherofitssisters，andpayingadividendoutoftheproceeds。Isatatthetableandagreed。Thatwasourmethodofequilibriumattheiridescentclimaxofthebubble。
　　Youperceivenow，however，thenatureoftheservicesforwhichthisfantasticcommunityhavehimunmanageablewealthandpowerandrealrespect。Itwasallamonstrouspaymentforcourageousfiction，agratuityinreturnfortheonerealityofhumanlife——illusion。Wegavethemafeelingofhopeandprofit；wesentatidalwaveofwaterandconfidenceintotheirstrandedaffairs。“WemintFaith，George。”saidmyuncleoneday。
　　“That’swhatwedo。AndbyJovewegottokeepminting！WebeenmakinghumanconfidenceeversinceIdrovethefirstcorkofTono-Bungay。”
　　“Coining“wouldhavebeenabetterwordthanminting！Andyet，youknow，inasensehewasright。Civilisationispossibleonlythroughconfidence，sothatwecanbankourmoneyandgounarmedaboutthestreets。Thebankreserveorapolicemankeepingorderinajostlingmultitudeofpeople，areonlyslightlylessimpudentbluffsthanmyuncle’sprospectuses。Theycouldn’tforamoment“makegood“ifthequarterofwhattheyguaranteewasdemandedofthem。Thewholeofthismodernmercantileinvestingcivilisationisindeedsuchstuffasdreamsaremadeof。A
　　massofpeoplesweltersandtoils，greatrailwaysystemsgrow，citiesarisetotheskiesandspreadwideandfar，minesareopened，factorieshum，foundriesroar，shipsploughtheseas，countriesaresettled；aboutthisbusystrivingworldtherichownersgo，controllingall，enjoyingall，confidentandcreatingtheconfidencethatdrawsusalltogetherintoareluctant，nearlyunconsciousbrotherhood。Iwonderandplanmyengines。
　　Theflagsflutter，thecrowdscheer，thelegislaturesmeet。Yetitseemstomeindeedattimesthatallthispresentcommercialcivilisationisnomorethanmypooruncle’scareerwritlarge，aswelling，thinningbubbleofassurances；thatitsarithmeticisjustasunsound，itsdividendsasill-advised，itsultimateaimasvagueandforgotten；thatitalldriftsonperhapstosometremendousparalleltohisindividualdisaster。
　　Well，soitwasweBoomed，andforfouryearsandahalfwelivedalifeofmingledsubstanceandmoonshine。Untilourparticularunsoundnessovertookuswewentaboutinthemostmagnificentofmotor-carsupontangiblehighroads，madeourselvesconspicuousandstatelyinsplendidhouses，atesumptuouslyandhadaperpetualstreamofnotesandmoneytricklingintoourpockets；
　　hundredsofthousandsofmenandwomenrespectedus，salutedusandgaveustoilandhonour；Iasked，andmyworksheetsrose，myaeroplanesswoopedoutofnothingnesstoscarethedownlandpe-wits；myunclewavedhishandandLadyGroveandallitsassociationsofchivalryandancientpeacewerehis；wavedagain，andarchitectswerebusyplanningthegreatpalaceheneverfinishedatCrestHillandanarmyoffolkmengatheredtodohisbidding，bluemarblecamefromCanada，andtimberfromNewZealand；andbeneathitall，youknow，therewasnothingbutfictitiousvaluesasevanescentasrainbowgold。
　　IpasstheHardinghameverandagainandglanceasidethroughthegreatarchwayatthefountainandtheferns，andthinkofthoserecedingdayswhenIwassonearthecentreofoureddyofgreedandenterprise。Iseeagainmyuncle’sface，whiteandintent，andhearhimdiscourse，hearhimmakeconsciouslyNapoleonicdecisions，“grip“hisnettles，puthis“fingeronthespot。”
　　“bluff。”say“snap。”Hebecameparticularlyaddictedtothelastidiom。Towardstheendeveryconceivableacttooktheformofsaying“snap！”
　　Theoddfishthatcametous！AndamongotherscameGordon-Nasmyth，thatqueerblendofromanceandillegalitywhowasdestinedtodragmeintothemostirrelevantadventureinmylifetheMordetIslandaffair；andleaveme，astheysay，withblooduponmyhands。Itisremarkablehowlittleittroublesmyconscienceandhowmuchitstirsmyimagination，thatparticularmemoryofthelifeItook。ThestoryofMordetIslandhasbeentoldinagovernmentreportandtoldallwrong；therearestillexcellentreasonsforleavingitwronginplaces，buttheliveliestappealsofdiscretionforbidmyleavingitoutaltogether。
　　I’vestillthevividestmemoryofGordon-Nasmyth’sappearanceintheinnersanctum，alank，sunburntpersonintweedswithayellow-brownhatchetfaceandonefadedblueeye——theotherwasaclosedandsunkenlid——andhowhetolduswithastiffaffectationofeasehisincrediblestoryofthisgreatheapofquapthatlayabandonedorundiscoveredonthebeachbehindMordet’sIslandamongwhitedeadmangrovesandtheblackoozeofbrackishwater。
　　“What’squap？”saidmyuncleonthefourthrepetitionoftheword。
　　“Theycallitquap，orquab，orquabb。”saidGordon-Nasmyth；“butourrelationsweren’tfriendlyenoughtogettheaccentright。
　　Buttherethestuffisforthetaking。Theydon’tknowaboutit。
　　Nobodyknowsaboutit。Igotdowntothedamnedplaceinacanoealone。Theboyswouldn’tcome。Ipretendedtobebotanising。”
　　Tobeginwith，Gordon-Nasmythwasinclinedtobedramatic。
　　“Lookhere。”hesaidwhenhefirstcamein，shuttingthedoorrathercarefullybehindhimashespoke，“doyoutwomen——yesorno——wanttoputupsixthousand——for——acleargoodchanceoffifteenhundredpercent。onyourmoneyinayear？”
　　“We’realwaysgettingchanceslikethat。”saidmyuncle，cockinghiscigaroffensively，wipinghisglassesandtiltinghischairback。“Westicktoasafetwenty。”
　　Gordon-Nasmyth’squicktempershowedinaslightstiffeningofhisattitude。
　　“Don’tyoubelievehim。”saidI，gettingupbeforehecouldreply。“You’redifferent，andIknowyourbooks。We’reverygladyou’vecometous。Confoundit，uncle！ItsGordon-Nasmyth！
　　Sitdown。Whatisit？Minerals？”
　　“Quap。”saidGordon-Nasmyth，fixinghiseyeonme，“inheaps。”
　　“Inheaps。”saidmyunclesoftly，withhisglassesveryoblique。