Welcome to the final instalment of our latest Tale for Our Time - The Million-Pound Bank Note by Mark Twain. In tonight's concluding episode, our hero finds that his wealthy compatriot from San Francisco is way over-extended with an option whose expiry date is hurtling towards him:
In a word, he was ruined. Then he jumped up and cried out:
'Henry, you can save me! You can save me, and you're the only man in the universe that can. Will you do it? Won't you do it?'
'Tell me how. Speak out, my boy.'
'Give me a million and my passage home for my 'option'! Don't, don't refuse!'
I was in a kind of agony. I was right on the point of coming out with the words, 'Lloyd, I'm a pauper myself—absolutely penniless, and in debt!' But a white-hot idea came flaming through my head, and I gripped my jaws together, and calmed myself down till I was as cold as a capitalist...
Members of The Mark Steyn Club can hear me read the conclusion of The Million-Pound Bank Note simply by clicking here and logging-in. Earlier episodes can be found here.
Thank you so much for your compliments about Tales for Our Time during these last hellish two years. Some like the ripping yarns for boys, some the more genteel social comedy for girls, and some of you even enjoyed our bit of summer whimsy from yours truly. But of the tales in totality all seem to be in favour. Thank you too for your kind words about The Mark Steyn Show, which returns tomorrow on GB News.
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See you tomorrow for The Mark Steyn Show - and very soon for another Tale for Our Time.
