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Updated: May 31, 2025
Contini stopped the cab before an unpromising and deserted erection of poles, boards and tattered matting. "This is our house," he said, getting out and immediately making another attempt to light his cigar. "May I offer you a cigarette?" asked Orsino, holding out his case.
Nominally, too, Andrea Contini and Company were not responsible to any one for their book-keeping; but in practice, and under pretence of rendering valuable service, Del Ferice sent an auditor from time to time to look into the state of affairs, a proceeding which Contini bitterly resented while Orsino expressed himself perfectly indifferent to the interference, on the ground that there was nothing to conceal.
"Even if we had the money, we should gain nothing by taking off all our bills as they fall due, instead of renewing them." "But if the bank will not discount any more " "Del Ferice will, in the bank's name. When he is ready for the failure, we shall fail and he will profit by our loss." "Do you think that is what he means to do?" Contini looked at Orsino in surprise. "Of course.
"I suppose you understand these things, Signor Contini?" Contini laughed, and felt in his pockets for a crumpled paper box of wax-lights. "It is my profession," he answered. "And then, I built this house from the foundations. If you will come in, Signor Principe, I will show you how solidly the work is done."
"No," answered Contini thoughtfully. "I do not think so. It is a paper system and it will go to pieces." "Why have you not said the same thing before? You must have had this opinion a long time." "I did not believe that Ronco could fail. An accident opens the eyes." Orsino had almost decided to let matters go on but he found some difficulty in actually making up his mind.
To all intents and purposes he is our bank. The proof is that but for him we should have failed already." Orsino looked up sharply. "Be clear, Contini. Tell me what you mean." "I mean this. For a month past the bank could not have discounted a hundred francs' worth of our paper. Del Ferice has taken it all and advanced the money out of his private account."
For his own part, he was satisfied. Orsino felt that his partner could not be blamed, and he felt, too, that he would be doing Contini a great injury in involving him in a failure. But he regretted the time when their interests had coincided and they had cursed Del Ferice in common and with a good will. There was nothing to be done but to submit. He knew well enough what awaited him.
Orsino looked gloomily about him, lighted a cigarette and sat down upon a bit of masonry. "To me, it looks very like failure," he remarked. "But I suppose there is something in it." "It will not look like failure next month," said Contini carelessly. "Another story is soon built, and then the attic, and then, if you like, a Gothic roof and a turret at one corner.
Within a week the business was concluded, the buyer took over the mortgage as Orsino and Contini had done and paid the difference in cash into the bank, which deducted the amounts due on notes of hand before handing the remainder to the two young men. The buyer also kept back a small part of the purchase money to be paid on taking possession, when the house was to be entirely finished.
For instance, one of those buildings was evidently intended for a factory, and probably for a match factory. Del Ferice, in requiring that Contini and Company should erect what he had already arranged to dispose of, had vaguely remarked that there were no match factories in Rome and that perhaps some one would like to buy one.
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