“Well, then, in the first place, I resigned the office of advocate-general, which I held from the crown, which produced me—how much do you think?”
“A great deal, no doubt,” said Molyneux.
“Shall we say two hundred sterling a year?”
“Ay, more, I believe,” said Molyneux.
“Well, let it be two hundred. That, for ten years, is two thousand. In the next place, I have been obliged to relinquish the greater part of my business at the bar. Will you set that at two hundred pounds more?”
“Oh, I believe it much more than that!” was the answer.
“Well, let it be two hundred. This, for ten years, makes two thousand. You allow, then, I have lost four thousand pounds sterling?”
“Ay, and more too,” said Molyneux. Otis went on: “In the next place, I have lost a hundred friends, among whom were men of the first rank, fortune, and power in the province. At what price will you estimate them?”
“D—n them!” said Molyneux, “at nothing. You are better off without them than with them.”
A loud laugh from the company greeted this sally.