The Black Moon by Winston Graham Page A

men. But it is not an uncommon pattern when one inherits a small estate quite young ' The banker stopped, for he perceived that he might be on delicate ground.
    `It is a very familiar pattern,' `Ross said. `One inherits the traditions of a gentleman, the pride of a squire, a dislike of work and a contempt for trade; all of which might be, tolerable if the estate were not too small t o live off and already heavily mortgaged by one's father.'
    'I was not attempting to draw a p-parallel,' Ross. In any case you made no bones about abandoning such a tradition and the outcome happily is now in no doubt. I have, hopes, with Joan's steadying influence and the ambition which may come of fathering a family, that St John will, find a new incentive in life. He is only twenty-seven:'
    That made him at least two years younger than his bride, even if one did not suspect her of having forgotten a year or two.
    'Oh, 'I think St John has much to commend him. He is a cheerful, gay fellow and very good company. We have never been close, but of course the cousinship is somewhat removed - I do not quite know how to estimate these relationships. I believe t hat although his estate is much reduced the young man has a couple of sinecures which help him to remain both solvent and a gentleman.' Ross caught Harris Pascoe's eye and laughed. - 'Oh, I beg your pardon, Harris. I did not intend to sound so sour. I am very happy both for you and Joan. And, in so far as our ties may be strengthene d by this marriage, I am, happy for that also.'
    They talked of other things. Banking business was booming, for the war had created a mood of expansion which at times was feverish. Although the mining world and Cornish ind ustries were still depressed, money over the country as a whole had become cheap and had, led to new enterprises springing up which hoped to profit from war conditions.
    Ross said: `With whom does St John Peter bank?' Knowing already
    `Warleggan's. He is very friendly with them. George has helped him in a number of ways; and of course I do not take exception to that. The community should not be expected to divide itself up into camps. It would be the worst thing.'
    `I agree. Butt willy nilly, Harris, you I suspect are in mine.!
    'Yes. I do not admire the Warleggans or their business methods. Honesty is not a set of rules, it i s a standard of ethics. By the first criterion they are honest, by the second not. But they exist. And I suspect - I fear-that as men like them prosper, more and more such will come to the top. Well, we can't alter the world, we can only adapt ourselves to it: As for my future son-in-law, it should not matter that he banks elsewhere, th-though I shall hope that whe n he marries he will move. I am settling a substantial sum on Joan.'
    `Naturally.'
    `Thi s of course is between ourselves. It would be unhelpful if it got out.'
    `Oh? ’
    `Well, you know, the stability of a bank depends on the good standing of its partners. Since it is not a joint stock company, no one is really certain of the depths of its purse. When my father died there was a startling increase in the business we did; because men reasoned, that the sort of a man who left so substantial a fortune must be rich enough to be safe!'
    ‘ I had no idea.'
    'Similarly if men knew I had settled any substantial part o f my fortune on Joan; it would leave them feeling less secure o f the amount I had left to meet all the contingencies of trade:'
    Ross shook his head, `Harris, it is not really for me to suggest; but I wonder if there might be something to be said for offering St John Paul a modest interest in your bank - in some form of junior partnership? It would be a way of safeguarding Joan's future and his.'
    Harris refilled both glasses. `It did occur to me. Indeed, I came halfway round to the matter when St John was dining with us, last week. I gather from what he said that he would be only too happy to accept such an interest if he were to take no active part. Like