He knew his antenatal history, knew it in every detail, and it was a thing to keep causes well before him.

What was his frank judgment of so much of its ugliness, he asked himself, but a part of the cultivation of humility?
What was this so important step he had just taken but the desire for some new history that should, so far as possible, contradict, and even if need be flatly dishonour, the old?
If what had come to him wouldn't do he must MAKE something different.

He perfectly recognised--always in his humility--that the material for the making had to be Mr.Verver's millions.

There was nothing else for him on earth to make it with; he had tried before--had had to look about and see the truth.

Humble as he was, at the same time, he was not so humble as if he had known himself frivolous or stupid.