‘We have diddled our tailor; broken the fortunes, and the hearts of innumerable bootmakers, hatters, frizzeurs, laundresses, and other creditors.’
‘Very true,’ remarked Kay, ‘and we are likely enough to break the hearts of a great many more, if they are silly enough to trust us.’
‘Ah!’ ejaculated Maretzo, and he fetched a very deep sigh, reflectively.
‘Ah!’ mimicked Kay; ‘why, confound me, if you are not getting melancholy.’
‘I am becoming penitent,’ replied Maretzo, in a tone still half serious, ‘I am becoming penitent, Kay.’
‘Penitent!’
‘Yes, downright compunctious.’
‘Ha! ha! ha!’
‘Don’t laugh, I feel a touch of the serious,’ remarked Maretzo, ‘I think it is high time that we began to think about a reformation, Kay.’
‘Well, positively.’