Laughton, too wise to be a dupe to fame,

Cared not a whit of what descent he came,

Till he was rich; he then conceived the thought

To fish for pedigree, but never caught.

All his desire, when he was young and poor,

Was to advance; he never cared for more:

"Let me buy, sell, be factor, take a wife,

240

Take any road to get along in life."

Was he a miser then? a robber? foe