BUSINESS OR GAMBLING 87 



would sell and would then bid for another mil- 

 lion. 



It was a perilous reputation to hold and in later 

 years when my dealings were less dominant I 

 looked for a chance to rid myself of it. The op- 

 portunity came. One day I had half a million 

 gold to sell and as I entered the Gold Room saw 

 Albert Speyers standing by the rail bidding for 

 one hundred thousand gold. 



: Sold," said I. 



'A hundred more," and again I said, — 

 : Sold." 



"Three hundred thousand more." 



"Sold." 



"Half a million more," and I turned away. 

 Every eye was upon me in that silent room, when 

 from a distant corner in a deep voice came a word 

 that has left a scar on my memory, — "Bismarck!" 



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