Blocks, Piles, and Cofferdam were buying up every share; either doing that openly--or else selling on the sly.
Alaric found that he could at once realize L7,600.

Were he to do this, there would be at any rate seven-eighths of his ward's fortune secure.
Might he not, in such a case, calculate that even Mrs.Val's heart would be softened, and that time would be allowed him to make up the small remainder?
Oh, but in such case he must tell Mrs.Val; and could he calculate on her forbearance?
Might he not calculate with much more certainty on her love of triumphing?
Would he not be her slave if she had the keeping of his secret?
And why should he run so terrible a risk of destroying himself?
Why should he confide in Mrs.Val, and deprive himself of the power of ever holding up his head again, when, possibly, he might still run out his course with full sails, and bring his vessel into port, giving no knowledge to the world of the perilous state in which she had been thus ploughing the deep?
He need not, at any rate, tell everything to Mrs.Val at his coming visit on the morrow.
He consulted his broker with his easiest air of common concern as to his money; and the broker gave him a dubious opinion.

'They may go a little higher, sir; indeed I think they will.

But they are ticklish stock, sir--uncommon ticklish.

I should not like to hold many myself, sir.' Alaric knew that the man was right; they were ticklish stock: but nevertheless he made up his mind to hold on a little longer.
He then got into another cab and went back to his office; and as he went he began to bethink himself to whom of all his friends he might apply for such a loan as would enable him to make up this sum of money, if he sold his shares on the morrow.