"Of course not; if you had been, you wouldn't have lost. There are no such things as mistakes in the world.—But to look at affairs. Imprimis.—Lindsay smashed, house closed, salary stopped."
"I suppose so."
"Item,—private funds gone; owner taken in by the patent-safe game.
"Item,—dwelling-house standing; so much gain,—but
"Item,—the dweller is not alone, having other mouths to feed.
"But don't be discouraged. I don't doubt you will find something to do in good time."
"But when is the good time coming? I must earn something at once."
"The danger of being made to work isn't pressing. Ships will have time to get well rested. Truckmen are actually growing civil with a little starvation. The beggars don't hold out their hands for coppers; they make more money by hauling out their old stockings and lending at five per cent. a month."
"You will laugh me out of my misery in spite of myself."
"I hope so; but I am not sure that a man can be laughed out of a thing he wasn't laughed into. Now, Monroe, I am going to surprise you. I am going to bore you, annoy you; for I am to see you every day for the next week. Can you bear it? I shall be worse than the balm of 'I-told-you-so.'"