"Angry with them! Good gracious, no! The only thing that put me out was that I could not bring the money home to you, dear."
"But I don't want any money just now."
"You never want anything for yourself, dear," he said in a tone of affectionate admiration; "yet a little money would be very handy at present. We have only a few pounds at the bank."
"But we don't want more than pocket-money until next month. There is nothing of any consequence to pay; the monthly bills have been all settled as usual." It was a great comfort to her to feel that he need not bother himself about anything so insignificant as money.
"Yes, but----" and he paused, and a look of pain and perplexity came over his face. He leaned his elbow on the table and his head upon his hand.
For a moment there was no word spoken, but a dull, heavy, low, continuous noise filled the room.
The noise ceased, and then her infinitely sympathetic voice said, "Dear, what is it?"
She was at his side. She had wheeled her invalid's chair round to him and had taken his hand in hers.
"Those workmen," he said. "They have swallowed up all I had." He did not take down his hand. He sighed heavily.
"But you are not grieving about that? It will all come back a hundredfold one day."