There was nobody but himself, he intimated, worthy of my confidence, and--in short, might he?
Then he asked me tenderly if I remembered our boyish games at sums, and how we had gone together to have me bound apprentice, and, in effect, how he had ever been my favorite fancy and my chosen friend?
If I had taken ten times as many glasses of wine as I had, I should have known that he never had stood in that relation towards me, and should in my heart of hearts have repudiated the idea.

Yet for all that, I remember feeling convinced that I had been much mistaken in him, and that he was a sensible, practical, good-hearted prime fellow.
By degrees he fell to reposing such great confidence in me, as to ask my advice in reference to his own affairs.

He mentioned that there was an opportunity for a great amalgamation and monopoly of the corn and seed trade on those premises, if enlarged, such as had never occurred before in that or any other neighborhood.

What alone was wanting to the realization of a vast fortune, he considered to be More Capital.
Those were the two little words, more capital.

Now it appeared to him (Pumblechook) that if that capital were got into the business, through a sleeping partner, sir,--which sleeping partner would have nothing to do but walk in, by self or deputy, whenever he pleased, and examine the books,--and walk in twice a year and take his profits away in his pocket, to the tune of fifty per cent,--it appeared to him that that might be an opening for a young gentleman of spirit combined with property, which would be worthy of his attention.