A Millionaire of Yesterday | Page 3

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A MILLIONAIRE OF YESTERDAY by E. Phillips Oppenheim
CHAPTER I
"Filth," grunted Trent - "ugh! I tell you what it is, my venerable friend -
I have seen some dirty cabins in the west of Ireland and some vile holes
in East London. I've been in some places which I can't think of even
now without feeling sick. I'm not a particular chap, wasn't brought up
to it - no, nor squeamish either, but this is a bit thicker than anything
I've ever knocked up against. If Francis doesn't hurry we'll have to
chuck it! We shall never stand it out, Monty!"
The older man, gaunt, blear-eyed, ragged, turned over on his side. His
appearance was little short of repulsive. His voice when he spoke was,
curiously enough, the voice of a gentleman, thick and a trifle rough
though it sounded.
"My young friend," he said, "I agree with you - in effect - most heartily.
The place is filthy, the surroundings are repulsive, not to add degrading.
The society is - er - not congenial - I allude of course to our hosts - and
the attentions of these unwashed, and I am afraid I must say unclothed,
ladies of dusky complexion is to say the least of it embarrassing."
"Dusky complexion!" Trent interrupted scornfully, "they're coal black!"
Monty nodded his head with solemn emphasis. "I will go so far as to
admit that you are right," he acknowledged. "They are as black as sin!
But, my friend Trent, I want you to consider this: If the nature of our

surroundings is offensive to you, think what it must be to me. I may, I
presume, between ourselves, allude to you as one of the people.
Refinement and luxury have never come in your way, far less have they
become indispensable to you. You were, I believe, educated at a Board
School, I was at Eton. Afterwards you were apprenticed to a
harness-maker, I - but no matter! Let us summarise the situation."
"If that means cutting it short, for Heaven's sake do so," Trent
grumbled. "You'll talk yourself into a fever if you don't mind. Let's
know what you're driving at."
"Talking," the elder man remarked with a slight shrug of his shoulders,
"will never have a prejudicial effect upon my health. To men of your -
pardon me - scanty education the expression of ideas in speech is
doubtless a labour. To me, on the other hand, it is at once a pleasure
and a relief. What I was about to observe is this: I belong by birth to
what are called, I believe, the classes, you to the masses. I have
inherited instincts which have been refined and cultivated, perhaps
over-cultivated by breeding and associations