"Well, shall we go up?" he said shortly. "I'm mighty sorry, though, that you don't approve of me."
"Yes, yes, I understand!"
The old man laughed, and suddenly resumed his former manner, his placidity, with an ease that indicated long practice in adapting himself to shifting scenes and moods.
"You're not responsible to me, God knows.... To each his own life, and I'm not to be the judge of yours!... Anyhow, Larry," he added as they went toward the door, "you got what you wanted."
"Oh, yes—yes, I got it,—in many ways."
"And now you've got it—you wouldn't say now, as many do, that it's vanity and vexation of spirit?"
"Oh, of course!" Laurence laughed abruptly. "Still, when you go after a thing it's better to get it.... Then you can see what it's worth."