"'Did you understand English then?'
"'Did not even dream of it.'
"'Have you worked while you have been in America?'
"'Never,' grinned Uncle Vincent. 'Neither do I expect to work. If I knew the man who invented work, and met him, I would kill him.'
"'What do you do to live?'
"'You are too young to know certain things,' he explained with a veiled glance. 'When you have become well interested in the affairs of our society you will know how to live without work.'
"'Then you belong to some society which gives you money?' I inquired, feigning stupidity.
"'Yes, but not like your societies. When you leave your societies and join ours you will feel better.'
"'And what is the price of initiation?'
"'Nothing.'