The Rise of Silas Lapham

Name: The Rise of Silas Lapham
Author: William Dean Howells

by William Dean Howells

Pages: about 468
Category: Literature & Fiction
Language: English
Reading time: 8.6 h at 250 wpm

Start readingThe whole book, as cards or one word at a time. 4.8 h at 450 wpm in Read mode.

From the opening

WHEN Bartley Hubbard went to interview Silas Lapham for the "Solid Men of Boston" series, which he undertook to finish up in The Events, after he replaced their original projector on that newspaper, Lapham received him in his private office by previous appointment.
"Walk right in!" he called out to the journalist, whom he caught sight of through the door of the counting-room.
He did not rise from the desk at which he was writing, but he gave Bartley his left hand for welcome, and he rolled his large head in the direction of a vacant chair. "Sit down! I'll be with you in just half a minute."
"Take your time," said Bartley, with the ease he instantly felt. "I'm in no hurry." He took a note-book from his pocket, laid it on his knee, and began to sharpen a pencil.
"There!" Lapham pounded with his great hairy fist on the envelope he had been addressing.
"William!" he called out, and he handed the letter to a boy who came to get it. "I want that to go right away. Well, sir," he continued, wheeling round in his leather-cushioned swivel-chair, and facing Bartley, seated so near that their knees almost touched, "so you want my life, death, and Christian sufferings, do you, young man?"
"I guess you wouldn't want my life without the money," said Lapham, as if he were willing to prolong these moments of preparation.
"Take 'em both," Bartley suggested. "Don't want your money without your life, if you come to that. But you're just one million times more interesting to the public than if you hadn't a dollar; and you know that as well as I do, Mr. Lapham. There's no use beating about the bush."
"No," said Lapham, somewhat absently. He put out his huge foot and pushed the ground-glass door shut between his little den and the book-keepers, in their larger den outside.

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The Rise of Silas Lapham

From the opening

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