"He did."
"How did he speak of them?"
"Despondingly."
"And what reason did he give for this?"
"He said he had failed to interest any capitalist in his invention."
"Any other reason?"
"Yes."
"What was that?"
"That he had just come from his aunt whom he had tried to persuade to advance him a sum of money to carry out his wishes, but that she had refused."
"He told you that?"