"Oh, is that the way these things are done?"
"My dear fellow, how else should they be done?" he demanded somewhat
impatiently--"Do you think _anything_ in the world is done without
money? Are the poor, hard-working journalists your brothers or your
bosom friends that they should lift you into public notice without
getting something for their trouble? If you do not manage them properly
in this way, they'll abuse you quite heartily and free of cost,--that I
can promise you! I know a 'literary agent,' a very worthy man too, who
for a hundred guineas down, will so ply the paragraph wheel that in a
few weeks it shall seem to the outside public that Geoffrey Tempest, the
millionaire, is the only person worth talking about, and the one
desirable creature whom to shake hands with is next in honour to meeting
Royalty itself."
"Secure him!" I said indolently--"And pay him _two_ hundred guineas! So
shall all the world hear of me!"
"When you have been paragraphed thoroughly," went on Rimânez--"the next
move will be a dash into what is called 'swagger' society. This must be
done cautiously and by degrees. You must be presented at the first Levée
of the season, and later on, I will get you an invitation to some great
lady's house, where you will meet the Prince of Wales privately at
dinner. If you can oblige or please His Royal Highness in any way so
much the better for you,--he is at least the most popular royalty in
Europe, so it should not be difficult to you to make yourself agreeable.
Following upon this event, you must purchase a fine country seat, and
have _that_ fact 'paragraphed'--then you can rest and look
round,--Society will have taken you up, and you will find yourself in
the swim!"